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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. Where does Piri ask Miss Shepherd if he can go?

2. What kind of drink are the kids selling?

3. What is the name of the gang Piri gets involved in?

4. What does Piri do when he hears Marcia talk about him?

5. Who saves Piri from the principal?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Piri's job as a shoeshine boy.

2. How does racism bother Piri in the fourth section?

3. How does Piri ensure that he becomes part of the TNT gang?

4. Why do Piri's parents decide to move to a suburb in Long Island?

5. Why do Piri and his gang decide to go with Alfredo?

6. How does Miss Washington help Piri in this section?

7. What problems does Piri have at school in the second section?

8. How does Piri injure his hand?

9. Why does Marcia claim she cannot dance with Piri?

10. What happens when Piri goes for a job interview in Section 4?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare the treatment of Puerto Ricans to African Americans in American society.

1) What is the history of Puerto Ricans in American society?

2) What is the history of African Americans in American society?

3) What evidence is there to prove that Puerto Ricans have been treated better in American society in the mid 20th century?

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following and examine how it helped Piri to focus on improving himself as a person while in prison:

1) Prison routine

2) Denial of parole

3) Religion

Essay Topic 3

What insight does Piri give about the Great Depression in the Thirties? How do Piri's parents cope with the Great Depression? In what way does the Great Depression destroy, or almost destroy, the lives of people close to Piri? What did American society learn from the Great Depression in the Thirties?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 795 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample