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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 high are the sidewalks where Ernie lives in the Mazatlan?

2. What two things are the soldiers looking for when they come to Jalco?

3. Which animals did Ernie's family leave behind in Jalco?

4. Where do Ernie and his mother go to get away from the sounds of the city?

5. Besides electricity, what other modern convenience does Ernie learn about when they arrive in Tucson?

Short Essay Questions

1. What differences between Americans and Mexicans does Ernie note in Part Three?

2. What is the difference in the way older boys and younger boys play in Jalco?

3. What happens to Ernie's tooth in Mazatlan?

4. What are the haciendas and Ernie's opinion of them?

5. How does Ernie describe the Devil's Backbone?

6. What role does the forest play to the residents of Jalco?

7. What presence do Americans have in the barrio?

8. What is the family's plan to leave Tepic?

9. What two things interrupt the train's travels to Tucson?

10. What are some effects of the flooding in Jalco?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Please define the purpose of a plot in a novel as well as the various parts of the plot. Barrio Boy is a nonfiction book, but it also contains a plot. Please define the specific plot of Barrio Boy and give an example of the various parts of the plot found in Barrio Boy.

Essay Topic 2

Theme is an essential part of a piece of literature. Please explain the role and purpose of theme in literature. What is the main theme of Barrio Boy? Are there any notable sub-themes?

Essay Topic 3

Please describe the literary technique of a story within a story. What is the purpose of this technique and how is it used in Barrio Boy?

(see the answer keys)

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