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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 kind of car does Carlos drive?

2. What sport does Peralta like to watch with his father as a child?

3. Who does Peralta meet at an arts program who takes Peralta and Yando under his wing?

4. How much is the tuition at Collegiate when Peralta applies there?

5. Where does someone encourage Peralta to apply for high school?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Peralta's and his family's main holiday diversion during his childhood while they lived in the homeless shelter?

2. What does Peralta do on his flight to New York City as a small child that endears him to people?

3. Why does Peralta's mother tell him he needs to be prepared for something happening to her?

4. In Part I, what is one of Peralta's early negative experiences with police?

5. Why does one of Maria's friends think that Peralta might not be her son?

6. What differences does Peralta feel between his neighborhood in Harlem and the Upper West Side, where his private school is located?

7. What early literature assignment at Collegiate captivates Peralta, and why?

8. Why is Peralta's mother reluctant to return to the Dominican Republic?

9. What it is a tradition for Peralta to ask his mother for before he goes to school each morning?

10. Why does Peralta decide not to tell his mother about his breathing problems in Part II?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay exploring Peralta's perspective on Catholicism, faith, and spirituality, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Why does Peralta's father insist on moving back to the Dominican Republic, while his mother is so intent on staying in America? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

What is one possible path to citizenship for Peralta's mother, Maria, that she is not yet prepared to take, to Peralta's frustration? Why does Maria refuse to take this potential path to citizenship? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 649 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample