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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 does Lucinda allow Anita to do that night?

2. What does Anita's mother suggest the men do?

3. What do Lucinda's family members and Susie tell Lucinda?

4. What does Anita know about a pill?

5. What does Anita write about Mrs. Mancini?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Anita learn about Chucha?

2. What does Anita know about a pill and what does she think about it?

3. What are Mami and Anita waiting for and how has Pupo failed the rebels?

4. What do Mami and Anita do in hiding?

5. How does Mrs. Mancini's distrust of people turn out to be fortuitous?

6. How do Anita and Mami communicate with Mundo?

7. What does the teacher tell the students in school the day Lucinda is leaving and how does Anita react?

8. What does Papi and the Washburns decide to do about Lucinda?

9. What does Anita discover when she goes into Lucinda's room, and what is Anita's reaction?

10. What does Anita overhear her father and other men talking about concerning Trujillo, and what does Anita's mother say to the men?

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

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Before We Were Free." Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of courage in "Before We Were Free." Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of freedom in Before We Were Free. Who is free at the beginning of "Before We Were Free"? Who is free by the end of of the novel? What price was paid for freedom? What types of freedom besides physical freedom are implied?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in "Before We Were Free."

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of "Before We Were Free." How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of "Before We Were Free." How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

(see the answer keys)

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