View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Paulina drag out of the guest bedroom?

2. What is the name of the man who gave Gerardo a ride home?

3. What happens as the dawn comes?

4. Who does Paulina blame for her not finishing school?

5. How does Gerardo act when Paulina is explaining about the car jack?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Paulina say to Roberto about breakfast?

2. How and when was Paulina arrested and what was she too afraid to do?

3. What does Paulina do before she leaves the house?

4. What does Roberto say about Paulina to Gerardo and how does Gerardo respond?

5. What does Paulina get when she comes on the stage in Scene 3?

6. What does Roberto see when he awakes?

7. What does the audience see after Paulina leaves the house?

8. What does Paulina do when she hears a car?

9. What kind of position has Gerardo been offered and what does he say about it?

10. What does Paulina do after she locks her husband in their room?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Roberto says that he heard about Gerardo's appointment to the Investigating Commission. He also seems very respectful of the role Gerardo will play, in that he will have many duties and worries on his hands shortly, and wants to help remove the trouble with the car.

1. Does Roberto's offer of help and wanting to talk about the commission seem suspicious? Why or why not?

2. Do you think Roberto's offer of help is logical given he has just met Gerardo? Why or why not?

3. Could Roberto's behavior in the statement above be a foreshadowing? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

The fact that this scene is set just before dawn could be symbolic of the dawn of realization that Roberto is not exempt from retaliation for his past deeds.

1. Why do you think the dawn could symbolize justice for Roberto?

2. At this point in the play Paulina is convinced Roberto is guilty, though Gerardo is not. As a reader do you believe Paulina's assertion? Why or why not?

3. If dawn might symbolize justice, could it also symbolize bringing the past to light? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

We are left wondering whether she would actually shoot him at the end of Act 2, Scene 1. Or would Gerardo forget something in the house and return to stop her? We are then forced to literally look at ourselves and those around us. What would each of us do in the same situation? Would we shoot, or let him live the rest of his days with his terrible secret?

1. Do you think you would do what Paulina is doing in her circumstances? Why or why not?

2. Do you think living with what he has done is worse punishment than killing him? Why or why not?

3. If you were a police officer called to the scene of Paulina killing Roberto, after listening to the confession, what would you do? Why?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 850 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample