Practice Makes Perfect Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters & Themes
Practice Makes Perfect Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters & Themes
(Sarah Adams, 2023)
This quiz covers the full arc of Practice Makes Perfect, from Annie's disastrous first date to Will's grand gesture. Questions are grouped by type: plot/sequence, character motivation, theme/symbol, and synthesis. Use the answer key at the bottom to check your work.
Plot & Sequence (Questions 1–8)
1. During her date with John at Peppercorn restaurant, what does Annie accidentally do?
A. Spills beer on him
B. Knocks over a vase
C. Calls him by the wrong name
D. Orders the wrong entrée
2. Why does Will initially refuse to become Annie's dating coach?
A. He is leaving town the next day
B. He is attracted to her and avoids commitment
C. He thinks she is too shy to learn
D. He is already coaching another woman
3. What tattoo does Annie ultimately choose?
A. A magnolia flower
B. A small open book on her shoulder
C. A butterfly on her wrist
D. A pirate ship on her ankle
4. How does Will create a distraction so Annie can sneak into his room at Mabel's Inn?
A. He starts a small fire in the kitchen
B. He rips a piece of siding off the house
C. He pretends to faint in the garden
D. He sets off the fire alarm
5. What is the final result of the town petition about Annie and Will's relationship?
A. 250 votes in favor, 0 against
B. 150 votes against, 100 in favor
C. The petition is declared invalid
D. The town votes to ban Will from Rome
6. What does Will do after Annie declines his marriage proposal?
(Short answer)
7. What item does Will take from Annie's room when he leaves without saying goodbye?
A. Her banana-print pajamas
B. Her pirate romance novel
C. A framed photo of her parents
D. A dried magnolia blossom
8. In the epilogue, why are Will and Annie mistaken for burglars?
A. They are trying to break into their own home after losing their key
B. They are sneaking into a neighbor's house
C. They are wearing disguises
D. They are caught climbing through a window at night
Character Motivation (Questions 9–13)
9. Why does Annie decide she wants to get married, despite her social anxiety and dislike of dating?
(Short answer)
10. What is the primary reason Will avoids long-term commitment?
A. He enjoys being a serial dater
B. He fears repeating his parents' toxic marriage
C. He is too focused on his career
D. He has never met anyone he likes
11. Why does Annie keep her dating lessons with Will a secret from her sisters?
A. She is ashamed of needing help
B. She wants to do something for herself without their opinions
C. She is afraid they will tell Amelia
D. She plans to surprise them with a wedding
12. What finally convinces Will to agree to be Annie's dating coach?
A. Amelia threatens to fire him
B. Annie threatens to hire a male escort, and he feels jealous
C. He realizes he needs the money
D. Annie promises to introduce him to her friends
13. Why does Annie turn down Will's marriage proposal at the end of the book?
(Short answer)
Theme & Symbol (Questions 14–17)
14. What does the magnolia tree from Will's childhood symbolize for him?
A. His love of nature
B. A safe haven from his dysfunctional family
C. His desire to become a gardener
D. A reminder of his military service
15. What does Annie's open book tattoo represent?
A. Her love of reading
B. Her own identity, separate from her mother's dream
C. Her desire to become a writer
D. Her commitment to the dating lessons
16. The epigraph, “To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow,” most directly suggests which theme?
A. The importance of hard work
B. Hope and optimism about the future
C. The beauty of nature
D. The need for patience
17. What does the recurring motif of Annie's banana-print pajamas come to symbolize?
(Short answer)
Synthesis (Questions 18–20)
18. How does the town's petition and impromptu meeting reflect the role of community in the novel?
(Short answer)
19. Compare Annie's and Will's attitudes toward risk and adventure at the beginning of the book versus the end.
(Short answer)
20. What does the “practice dating” arrangement ultimately teach Annie about herself?
(Short answer)
Answer Key
1. A — Spills beer on him.
The outline states Annie spilled beer on John early in the evening at Peppercorn.
2. B — He is attracted to her and avoids commitment.
In Chapter Eight, Will explains he is attracted to Annie and avoids commitment, which is why he initially refuses.
3. B — A small open book on her shoulder.
In Chapter Eighteen, Annie gets a small open book tattooed on her shoulder, chosen because it is special to her rather than flowers (her mother's dream).
4. B — He rips a piece of siding off the house.
In Chapter Thirteen, Will rushes in holding a piece of siding he ripped from Mabel's house as a distraction, promising to fix it.
5. A — 250 votes in favor, 0 against.
In Chapter Thirty-seven, Annie grabs a flyer showing the petition results: 250 votes in favor of her dating Will, 0 against.
6. Will quits his job, stays in town, and enrolls in community college to become a teacher.
In Chapter Forty, Will reveals he quit his job, is staying in town, and has enrolled in community college. He also agrees to be Annie's boyfriend.
7. B — Her pirate romance novel.
In Chapter Thirty-eight, the morning after they make love, Will is gone, and Annie realizes he took her pirate romance novel with him.
8. A — They are trying to break into their own home after losing their key.
The epilogue describes Sheriff Tony responding to a reported break-in; it turns out Will and Annie had lost their house key after a long day of travel.
9. Annie feels something is missing despite owning the flower shop her mother dreamed of, and she wants a stable, dependable love like her parents had.
The outline for Chapter One states she decided to pursue marriage because she feels something is missing, and she wants a marriage like Amelia and Noah's (Chapter Four).
10. B — He fears repeating his parents' toxic marriage.
Will's fear of commitment is repeatedly tied to his parents' unhappy marriage (Chapters Five, Twenty-two, Thirty-one).
11. B — She wants to do something for herself without their opinions.
In Chapter Eleven, Annie tells Will she doesn't want her siblings to know because they'll have opinions and suggestions, and she wants to do something for herself.
12. B — Annie threatens to hire a male escort, and he feels jealous.
In Chapter Eight, Annie persists and threatens to hire a male escort; Will becomes jealous and agrees, on the condition she gives him her book.
13. Annie wants time to relearn herself and build trust before marriage, so she agrees to be his girlfriend instead.
In Chapter Forty, Annie declines the proposal, saying she wants time to relearn herself and build trust, but agrees to be his girlfriend.
14. B — A safe haven from his dysfunctional family.
In Chapter Fifteen, Will explains the magnolia tree was a haven for him when he needed to get away from his family.
15. B — Her own identity, separate from her mother's dream.
In Chapter Eighteen, Annie chooses the open book because it is special to her rather than the flowers that were her mother's dream.
16. B — Hope and optimism about the future.
The epigraph connects planting a garden to believing in tomorrow, which aligns with themes of hope and growth.
17. The banana-print pajamas symbolize Annie's playful, private self and the comfort and intimacy she shares with Will.
The pajamas appear in Chapter Twenty (Annie explains her nickname Anna-banana) and again in Chapter Thirty-eight when Will asks her to wear them. They represent her authentic, unguarded side.
18. The town acts as a surrogate family that ultimately supports Annie and Will's relationship.
The petition ends with 250 votes in favor and 0 against, and the meeting shows Harriet and Mabel voicing support for Will. The town's meddling is affectionate and protective, reflecting the close-knit community.
19. At the start, Annie is a homebody who fears adventure, while Will is restless and avoids settling down. By the end, Annie becomes more spontaneous (getting a tattoo, agreeing to travel), and Will chooses to stay in Rome, quit his job, and pursue a teaching career.
Evidence: Annie's initial fear of flying and new places (Chapter Twenty-four) contrasts with her later willingness to go to Paris (epilogue). Will's restlessness and desire to transfer (Chapter Ten) contrast with his decision to stay and enroll in community college (Chapter Forty).
20. The practice dating arrangement teaches Annie that she is desirable, brave, and capable of taking risks.
Through Will's compliments and her own choices—like getting the tattoo and being intimate—Annie gains confidence and self-awareness. She learns she can be seen as a woman, not just “nice,” and that she can trust herself (Chapters Sixteen, Thirty-six).