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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. How long does Mixtli travel for during his first journey as a tradesman?

2. What does Mixtli see being built on his naming day?

3. How are the unexpected riches delivered to Mixtli?

4. How does Chimali hide his hair as a child?

5. What is Emperor Carlos the ruler of?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Blood Glutton encourage the young Mixtli to do?

2. How does Mixtli react when he sees the "tapir woman" in the ruler's human zoo?

3. How does Mixtli's sister seduce him?

4. Who is Armed Scorpio?

5. Who is the cacao-colored man who often wanders the streets?

6. What kinds of costumes do children wear to celebrate the end of the hollow days?

7. Why doesn't Mixtli have sex with the female slave that all of the young men from his hometown hire?

8. Why is Mixtli's home area called the five lakes region?

9. According to Blood Glutton, how can Mixtli still achieve a flowery death if he cannot be victorious in battle?

10. In the opening of the book, what does Mixtli's sister, Tzitzilini, get punished for?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the incestuous relationship between Mixtli and Tzitzi, its effect on the reader, and its function in the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Choose 2 characters and discuss why the do or do not listen to the omens that indicate that something negative will be happening in the future. What are the omens? What do they predict? Why do these characters refuse to "see" them? What do we learn about these characters as a result?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the flood that sweeps Zyanya away to her death, making sure to use specific evidence in the text as you discuss both the symbolism behind the flood and what its consequences (e.g., the death of Zyanya) mean within the larger context of the novel.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 547 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample