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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 color hat does the woman wear who comes to refresh the flowers for Malcolm X in front of the Audubon?

2. What does the clerk at La Bodeguita give Ana when Juan buys groceries?

3. What does Teresa want $5 for?

4. On page 46, what does Cesar give Ana that is in a brown paper sack?

5. How long was Trujillo El Jefe?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Ana takes a plate of food to the old lady downstairs?

2. How does Ana describe arriving at the airport in New York?

3. How did Juan get a chance at a job at the New Yorker Hotel?

4. What clothes does Ana buy at El Basement, and how does Juan feel about her purchases?

5. Why does Ana's father respect the Ruiz brothers?

6. What happens when Juan gives Ana five dollars and a sealed envelope that needs a stamp?

7. What instructions does Ana's mother give her before she is married?

8. How does Juan try to help Ana the first time they make love?

9. Why does the super come to Ana's apartment when she is cleaning the floor?

10. Why is Ana's wedding dress not white?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the novel, some characters are more thoroughly described than others. Who are some characters that are merely named in passing or have a minor role in the novel? What is the importance of these flat characters to the story line? In what way do these characters make the main characters more colorful or interesting? When there is conflict, what type of role do these flat characters play?

Essay Topic 2

Mood is an element that author uses to evoke feelings in readers through the use of descriptive language. What is the overall mood in the book and why?

Essay Topic 3

Mama used to ask Ana if she was a manatee or a shark. Why would Mama ask that question? Which was Ana—a manatee or a shark? Did that change over the course of the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 916 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample