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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 Seni?

2. What do Luis and Rano do with the money they earn at 9 years old?

3. Luis thinks he would be able to kill, but not as part of what?

4. Which gang is preparing for war after the shooting at the vacant lot?

5. Why does the gang plan a trip to a "real beach?"

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when the students at Luis's father's school can't understand his accent?

2. How does Luis describe his mother at the beginning of the book?

3. How does graffiti show a rift within the gang?

4. Explain how Yuk-Yuk and Luis differ on their feelings about stealing and killing.

5. What do Luis and Rano do with their money they earn?

6. What was Luis's family's neighborhood and house like in Los Angeles?

7. What happens when Luis's father gets a better job?

8. How did Luis's family end up settling in Los Angeles?

9. How does Luis describe his high school?

10. How does Luis's problem with stealing and killing come to a head at the concession stand?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the impact of the death of a little girl named Coke on the neighborhood's attempts to stop gang violence.

Essay Topic 2

Beyond a feeling of belonging, why is the pull of the gang for Luis so strong that even a woman's influence cannot change his mind?

Essay Topic 3

How does the story of the woman yelling at Luis's family at Will Rogers park play a role in Luis's decision to join a gang? What kinds of feelings did the woman prompt in Luis that stay with him throughout his life?

(see the answer keys)

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