Quiz Second First Impressions Sally Thorne

Second First Impressions: 20-Question Quiz on Plot, Characters, and Themes

About This Quiz

This 20-question quiz spans the full arc of Sally Thorne's Second First Impressions—from Ruthie's first encounter with Teddy at the gas station to the Christmas party revelations and the epilogue. Questions are grouped into four sections: plot and sequence, character motivation, theme and symbol, and synthesis. An answer key with brief explanations follows the quiz.

If you need a refresher before testing yourself, start with the book overview, then dig into the ending explained after you finish.

Plot and Sequence

1. Where does Ruthie Midona work at the start of the novel?

  • A) Providence Retirement Villa

  • B) Fairchild Tattoo Studio

  • C) The Reptile Zoo

  • D) Memory Lanes Bowling Alley

2. How does Ruthie first encounter Teddy Prescott?

  • A) She pays his $20 gas bill at a gas station

  • B) He moves into the cottage next door

  • C) He applies for the Parloni assistant job

  • D) He delivers food to Providence

3. What is the Sasaki Method?

  • A) An eight-week dating program designed by Melanie

  • B) A retirement home activity schedule

  • C) A corporate restructuring plan

  • D) A tortoise rehabilitation program

4. What task do the Parlonis give Teddy during his job interview?

  • A) Buy a white shirt with $300 within an hour

  • B) Cook a gourmet meal for them

  • C) Run laps around the property

  • D) Design a tattoo for Renata

5. What does Ruthie discover about the tenancy contracts at Providence?

  • A) They all end December 31 of the following year

  • B) They are extended automatically each year

  • C) They only apply to new residents

  • D) They were voided by the corporate acquisition

6. What does Teddy offer to do to save Providence from redevelopment?

  • A) Sell his tattoo studio and work for PDC

  • B) Buy the property himself with his savings

  • C) Convince Rose to change her mind

  • D) Start a community fundraiser

7. (Short answer) What revelation about the Parlonis occurs at the Christmas party?

8. (Short answer) Who is revealed to have embezzled money from Providence, and what happens to them?

Character Motivation

9. Why does Ruthie initially resist leaving Providence?

  • A) She feels responsible for the residents and fears the outside world

  • B) She is waiting for her parents' approval

  • C) She has no other job skills

  • D) She is under contract for six more years

10. Why is Teddy determined to buy into the tattoo studio?

  • A) To prove himself to his family and achieve financial independence

  • B) To get rich quickly

  • C) To have an excuse to leave Providence

  • D) To impress Ruthie with his success

11. Why does Melanie create the Sasaki Method for Ruthie?

  • A) She genuinely wants to help Ruthie find love

  • B) She is bored at work

  • C) She wants to compete with Renata

  • D) She needs material for a book

12. Why does Ruthie refuse Teddy's invitation to leave with him?

  • A) She feels responsible for the residents

  • B) She doesn't love him

  • C) She is afraid of her parents

  • D) She doesn't believe in change

13. (Short answer) Why did the Parlonis hide their relationship as a couple?

Theme and Symbol

14. What do the endangered tortoises symbolize in the novel?

  • A) Slow, steady progress and things worth protecting

  • B) Speed and urgency

  • C) Wealth and status

  • D) Freedom and escape

15. What does Ruthie's nightly

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