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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. Which group was stopped the most at the Arivaca, Arizona checkpoint?

2. Why did the U.S. repatriate 2 million Mexicans in the 1930s?

3. In 1992, Pat Buchanan ran for the Republican nomination saying he was focused on preserving what?

4. In "Border," Lalami writes that by 1953 the border zone was expanded from 25 miles to how may miles?

5. What is one reason Lalami is taken aback when the woman in the audience at her reading of her novel asked about ISIS?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what ways does Lalami say she lives in the gray zone at the end of "Faith"?

2. In "Faith," who does Lalami say helped to fund the Muhahideen?

3. Describe the stark differences Lalami notes on either side of the Texas-Mexico border wall.

4. Under what administration was Operation Hold the Line implemented? How successful was it?

5. What was the Demographics Unit that Lalami discusses at the end of "Allegiance"?

6. What year is it and why is Lalami at a ceremony at the start of "Allegiance"?

7. Describe the conversation Lalami had with a seat mate on an airplane about Koreans in Gardena, California.

8. In "Faith," what does Lalami say about Muslim history in America? When did Muslim's first arrive? Why? How were they treated?

9. Describe Lalami's thoughts on how Arabs and Muslims are expected to act after events like 9/11?

10. Why did Lalami originally move to the U.S. and how long did she plan to stay?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing Lalami's stance on what it is like to be a Muslim in America. What experiences does she share about her life in America? Are they mostly good or mostly bad? When does she note a marked change in how people react to Muslims? What kinds of requirements are placed on Muslims particularly after a terrorist attack?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay examining the ending of Conditional Citizens. How did the ending fit into the narrative? Do you think the ending was effective? In what ways does the final chapter develop the theme of progress? What might the author have done differently?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Lalami's focus on the theme of inequality as presented in Conditional Citizens.

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