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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 3, how does Alessandra feel about marriage?

2. Who tells Alessandra that she will enter into a marriage contract with Cristoforo?

3. How does Alessandra feel about her father going on the trip with the painter in Chapter 1?

4. In Chapter 11, where does Alessandra notice the man watching her?

5. Why does Alessandra see the painter leave her house at night in Chapter 4?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 16, what happens when Alessandra sneaks out of the house?

2. Why do Alessandra's siblings argue about being painted in Chapter 1?

3. What does the ringing bell in Chapter 17 remind Alessandra's mother of?

4. What makes Alessandra think that Cristoforo will understand her desire to paint?

5. What does Alessandra do after sitting for the painter for the first time?

6. In "Prologue," what happens after Sister Lucrezia dies?

7. In Chapter 1, what does Alessandra's father relationship with the painter represent?

8. What does Alessandra do when she finds the painter in the chapel in Chapter 8?

9. When Alessandra first sits for the painter in Chapter 5, what makes it difficult to speak to him?

10. In Chapter 4, what does Alessandra see in the middle of the night?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the author use high art to mirror politics in this novel?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the use of dialogue to develop the characters in the novel as compared to descriptive passages.

Essay Topic 3

Explore how the descriptions of the two frescoes in this novel reflect the character development of the major characters.

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