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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 part of his body does Piri injure in this section?

2. What job does Piri find in this section?

3. Why does Piri not fight Waneko as hard as he could?

4. What does Piri tell Brew he is not?

5. Why do Piri's parents want to move to Long Island?

Short Essay Questions

1. What problems does the family face in the opening section?

2. What problems does Piri face when he has to move to a new neighborhood?

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

4. How does Piri's father react to Piri's temporary blindness?

5. Describe Piri's upbringing.

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

7. Why does Piri think his father does not like him as much as his other children?

8. How do Piri and his mother react differently to Paulie's death?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why is it important for Piri to have a good reputation? What do the students think Piri's life in New York would have been like if he did not have a good reputation? Was joining a gang or group is the only way to get a good reputation as a teenager in New York?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Examine Piri's relationship with crime.

1) In what way does Piri make a decision to enter a life of crime rather than being forced into a life of crime?

2) How much do Piri's troubles have to do with his identity crisis?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 722 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample