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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 makes Anita think more?

2. How does Anita feel when Sammy has someone visit him?

3. Why does Anita's father say they have to stay?

4. Who is Carla?

5. What is one thing Anita learns about their country's leader?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Anita feel when Oscar comes over to play with Sammy?

2. What do the secret police do and say at the compound, and what worries Anita?

3. What does Anita's mother say when the children are allowed to go back to school?

4. What does Mami ask Anita not to do?

5. What does Papi explain to Anita about Carla when Anita gets home?

6. Where is Anita at the opening of the story, and what is she doing?

7. Upon what occasion do the people living in the compound decide to have a party?

8. What do Sammy, Anita and Oscar discuss?

9. Why does Anita's mother send Anita to Tio Toni's home on her way to the party?

10. How does Anita begin to see their leader in a different light?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"Before We Were Free" belongs to the young-adult-novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give examples of three other genres in addition to the young-adult-novel genre.

2. Discuss two reasons that it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons that it might be disadvantageous to do so.

3. What do you think is the difference between a young-adult novel and a historical mystery novel ?

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare and contrast the characters of Anita and Lucinda. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare and contrast the characters of Sam and Oscar. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded person?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in "Before We Were Free" help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. How do you define loyalty? Is the ability and desire to be loyal an admirable trait in humans? Why or why not? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being loyal to a person? A cause? A country? An idea? What do you think about blind loyalty; that is, what to do think of those who are loyal to something no matter what they learn about that person, thing, ideal, country, etc.

2. Discuss and analyze why you think Mr. Washburn remains loyal to Anita's family. Is it warranted? Wise? Earned? What other instances of loyalty occur in "Before We Were Free"? Is El Jefe's son's loyalty to his father admirable?

3. What other admirable traits besides loyalty are depicted in "Before We Were Free"? Discuss fully two of those traits with specific examples.

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