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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. Esperanza reads that Eskimos have thirty different names for what?

2. What does she plan on doing as soon as she gets back to P.R.?

3. Why does Esperanza need to get a job?

4. Why will Cathy only be Esperanza’s friend until next Tuesday?

5. What is the “big one’s” name?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Angel Vargas?

2. What does she mean by: “That is how it goes and goes”?

3. How does Louie’s cousin get the Cadillac?

4. What is Alicia afraid of?

5. Why does Esperanza need to get a job?

6. Why does Esperanza think others think the people in her neighborhood are dangerous?

7. Who is Esperanza?

8. Why does Esperanza’s mama get sick?

9. What does Esperanza’s mean in the English translation?

10. Why do the girls begin arguing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Esperanza is dissatisfied with her life, or at least her living situation. Why is she dissatisfied? What does she want? And, will she or won’t she most likely succeed?

Essay Topic 2

What is the effect of the short first-person vignettes, rather than longer chapters? Why do you think Cisneros chose this form over something more traditional? What other forms could it be compared to?

Essay Topic 3

Esperanza questions women’s roles in this book. Which characters does she pity? Which does she look up to? If she continues on the path of her friends and cousins, where does she think she’ll be in ten years?

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