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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 the date in Chapter 1?

2. At the end of Chapter 11, what does Luca remember were on the safety strap he used to wear in the family car?

3. How many children did Lydia tell Sebastian that Javier had in Chapter 8?

4. How much money did Luca make one day when he entertained tourists in his mother's store with geography facts?

5. How many pesos does Lydia have to pay at the hotel in Chapter 3 for a hold?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 5, how does Lydia know that Javier has found them at the hotel?

2. Where do Lydia and Luca hide in Chapter 1, and how do they nearly get caught?

3. What was unusual about Lydia's mother?

4. What does Luca see at the end of Chapter 12 when he goes to the bathroom?

5. In Chapter 1, who from Luca's extended family was at his grandmother's house and why?

6. How do Soledad and Rebeca help Luca and Lydia board a moving train?

7. How did Lydia meet Javier Crespo Fuentes?

8. Why does the detective at Lydia's house not contradict her when she says that the cartel will kill her too?

9. In Chapter 3, why is Lydia cautious when she approaches the family's car?

10. Why might it have been a good idea for Luca to see the violence in the backyard?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Luca is eight going on nine in the book. How does Luca mature and grow in the novel through the experiences he and his mother endure?

Essay Topic 2

The setting or settings in a book are where the action takes place. Do the settings in the book serve as a backdrop to characters or do they almost take on the role of a character? How do the various settings evoke feelings or set the tone in the book?

Essay Topic 3

In the novel, some characters are more thoroughly described than others. Who are some characters that are merely named in passing or have a minor role in the novel? What is the importance of these flat characters to the story line? In what way do these characters make the main characters more colorful or interesting? When there is conflict, what type of role do these flat characters play?

(see the answer keys)

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