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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. Who is the baby Danticat's mother brings to Haiti with her in 1976?

2. When do Danticat's parents reappear in Haiti again after leaving her with Joseph and Denise?

3. What does Joseph do at Melina's funeral?

4. Who does Uncle Joseph want Mira to marry before Mira meets Danticat's mother?

5. Where do Joseph and Denise build their first house?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the section titled "Have You Enjoyed Your Life?", what does the herbalist Danticat's father takes her to tell her about her health?

2. How does Joseph communicate and what does he communicate at Granme Melina's funeral since he can not give a sermon due to the loss of his voice?

3. In the section titled Good-bye, how does Danticat remember neighbors treating her Uncle Joseph after his tracheotomy?

4. In the section titled "We're All Dying," what does Danticat's friend tell her when Danticat informs her about how ill her father is?

5. In the section titled "Good-bye," what book does Danticat select to buy for herself while out with Joseph and why?

6. Why does Danticat's father Mira decide not to take the codeine his doctor has prescribed for him?

7. What does Danticat remember most fondly about Marie Micheline's kindness towards her as a young child?

8. In the section titled "Good-bye," how do the children determine that Granme Melina has died?

9. What does Marie Micheline say to Uncle Joseph when he comes to rescue her from Pressoir?

10. What illness does Uncle Joseph suffer from that eventually robs him of his voice?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What were Joseph's and Mira's first experiences with and impressions of Americans, respectively? How do you think each man's impressions of Americans and of America changed over their lifetimes? Write an essay explaining your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Danticat laments the fact that she feels she knows little about her childhood from either her father, Mira, or her Uncle, Joseph. Danticat regrets that she does not remember or have many family stories to tell. Write an essay analyzing why Danticat feels this way and explain which family members seem to attempt to fill the void she feels.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay exploring the faith that both Joseph and Mira place in herbal and alternative medicine. Where does the tradition that they follow seem to have originated?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 804 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample