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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. In Chapter 10, Miguel gets a new job. Where is this job?

2. Where does Esperanza go to check on things on the morning after the strike?

3. On Saturday night, what do the women do together that Esperanza actually enjoys?

4. During the harvest time, who becomes ill?

5. What does Esperanza think will make the individual in the hospital feel better?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 9, when Esperanza brings the blanket to the hospital, why do she and Mama cry?

2. How is the act of Esperanza's gift of the porcelain doll symbolic?

3. What is the symbolic significance of the the shrine Alfonso and Miguel erect?

4. How does Miguel's attitude toward his job being taken away differ from Esperanza's position about this injustice?

5. As Miguel and Esperanza drive to the market, what does Esperanza notice, apparently for the first time about herself?

6. When the doctor comes to examine Mama and diagnose her illness, how does Esperanza react?

7. How does Esperanza's babysitting skills progress as Chapter 8 develops?

8. Where are Esperanza's sympathies with regard to the strikers?

9. In Chapter 9, when Mama is in the hospital, describe the quality of Esperanza's care giving.

10. At the end of the Chapter 7, Esperanza prays. How do her prayers reveal the subtle change she is beginning to make?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The title of this novel is Esperanza Rising. There is a scenario in Chapter 5 wherein Esperanza feels she is floating above the earth. However, there are several meanings of the word "rising." Reflect on this scene and the meanings of this book. Finally, with attention to more than one meaning of the word, explain why Esperanza Rising is an appropriate title for this novel.

Essay Topic 2

During the course of the novel, Esperanza sheds her coddled sense of entitlement and emerges as a responsible young woman. Who or what are the primary motivators responsible for this social and emotional growth?

Essay Topic 3

In what way is Esperanza Rising a work of socially responsible historical fiction?

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