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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. As Rodriguez and his siblings learn more English, what happens to their family?

2. In The Achievement of Desire, Prologue, Rodriguez says that now that he is successful, people always ask him a certain question. What is it?

3. Is Rodriguez's education affected by his religion? If so, how?

4. Did Rodriguez's brother and sister tell him what to expect at school?

5. As Rodriguez learns more English, what does he do about his parents' English skills?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Rodriguez view his parents' use of English?

2. What conflicting messages does Rodriguez's father give him about getting an education?

3. How does Rodriguez describe each language (Spanish and English) differently?

4. How does Rodriguez feel as his education comes to an end?

5. Why does Rodriguez say he spent so many years in the classroom?

6. Rodriguez is trained in Catholic ideas and rituals at a young age. What does this do to his understanding of other religious beliefs and practices?

7. How does the parents' desire for a good education end up hurting their family?

8. What does Rodriguez identify as the symbol of how these two versions of Catholicism intersect in his life?

9. How does learning to speak English change Rodriguez's mother? His father?

10. What does Rodriguez discover about language and intimacy? What family member helps him to figure that out?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Part One: Compare and contrast Rodriguez's childhood view of religion and his adult view of religion.

Part Two: Rodriguez acknowledges that the church itself changed some of its practices as he grew up. What effect did that have on his decision to stay Catholic? Did it encourage him to re-evaluate his religious beliefs and practices?

Essay Topic 2

Rodriguez claims that it is his education that made him successful. That is the reason he is writing this history of his education.

Part One: Find examples that prove his point. How is the person he is today a result of getting a good education?

Part Two: Find examples that disprove his point. What other advantages does he have (for example, where he lives, people he knows, personal characteristics) that could have led him to be successful even without a great education?

Part Three: Decide for yourself -- did Rodriguez's education make him successful? Explain your reasoning.

Essay Topic 3

Rodriguez says that writing is difficult and writing about his family is very difficult. When he is younger, he makes up elaborate lies about his family. As an adult, he chooses to write this book about his family, which is intended to be a realistic portrayal of his relationship with them.

Part One: If writing is difficult and he does it anyway, what does that tell you about what he has to say?

Part Two: Why is writing about his family more difficult than other types of writing? Why did he lie about his family when he was younger? Is he telling the truth about them now? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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