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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. What is happening at the beginning of the story "The Beans and Rize Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn"?

2. In "A Difficult Path," who is waiting for the Li family when they arrive at the temple?

3. In "Sol Painting, Inc.," what does Papi buy Merci to try and cheer her up?

4. In "How to Transform," what grade did the narrator just finish?

5. In "How to Transform," what do the other players call the narrator during his first weeks at the gym?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "The Difficult Path," what is Li Po's poem "The Difficult Path" about, and why is the poem significant to the story?

2. In "The Beans and Rice Chronicles," how does the relationship between Isaiah and his mother erupt?

3. In "Sol Painting, Inc.," what does Roli want to be when he grows up?

4. In "Secret Samantha," what is being said about Blade during her first day at the new school?

5. In "Sol Painting, Inc.," what happens involving Dona Rosa?

6. In "The Beans and Rice Chronicles," who is Miz Rita?

7. Explain why Tianyi in "The Difficult Path" insists that Bisi is "too plain" to trade to other pirates.

8. Describe the relationship between Isaiah and Charlie in "The Beans and Rice Chronicles."

9. In "Sol Painting, Inc.," how does Roli act when they are at the school, and what does his behavior reveal?

10. In "How to Transform," why does the narrator want to go to the gym in Balboa in the first place?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In an essay, consider how the title "Sometimes a Dream Needs a Push" relates to the story itself. What does it literally mean? What does it mean metaphorically? How does it set up the writer's theme(s)?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay in which you compare/ contrast how at least two of the stories from this collection deal with sexuality.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you discuss which character you think has the most influence on the narrator's growth in the story "How to Transform an Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium" and why.

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