View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. While Ruth is working for Miss Finch, she begins to do what?

2. Matt is a _____________ man by the time they reach high school.

3. As children they often played house together, but Matt had to be who?

4. Ruth also recalls when she got into the spelling bee and May allowed her to wear what?

5. May learned the tragic news on what day?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Ruth believe the people in town must feel sorry for her and her family?

2. How did May come to spend a great deal of time with Willard Jenson?

3. Why does Ruth begin working for Miss Finch?

4. Why did Ruth have to pay special attention in school?

5. Why is Ruth teased in school? How does she deal with this?

6. How does Ruth meet Ruby?

7. What does Ruth do after high school?

8. What does Ruth recall about school?

9. What does Ruth remember about a mistake she made cooking one night? Why is she afraid to tell Aunt Sid this story?

10. Describe Ruth's first meeting with Aunt Sid.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The household falls apart.

Part 1) Describe this destruction. What is the cause of this destruction?

Part 2) How do Ruth, Ruby, and May play a role in it's destruction?

Part 3) How different might their relationship have been if they had not lived together? Could it have been better? Why or why not? Could May's death have been prevented? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Ruth and Ruby meet on the lake.

Part 1) Describe this first meeting. What is learned about Ruby at this meeting? How does his past influence who he is at this point?

Part 2) How does this relationship progress? How is their demise foreshadowed? Why do they not see this?

Part 3) How different might Ruth's life have been if she had married Randall? Use the text to support your response.

Essay Topic 3

Ruth learns she is pregnant.

Part 1) How do May and Ruby react to this news? Why do they react this way?

Part 2) Is this pregnancy a good idea? Why or why not? How does this pregnancy and Justin's birth both help and hurt this family?

Part 3) Would this family have survived if Justin had not been born? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 969 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample