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. In Chapter 8, who tells Esperanza that the strike that was planned for the next day will not take place?

2. What does Esperanza give to children of the poor man who approaches them at the market?

3. When asparagus season begins and the truck arrives to take Esperanza, Hortensia, and Josefina to the field, what does a man have to protect them?

4. In the context of this story, what is a "jamaica?"

5. Who does Esperanza find hiding after the officials leave?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. When Esperanza details the things she misses about her mother, why is she so surprised at herself?

3. In what way is Mama's illness a commentary on the working conditions of the migrant workers?

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

5. Chapter 10 is entitled Los Aguacates, the avocados. Why is this a meaningful title for this particular chapter?

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

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

8. How does the sequence of events from Miguel and Esperanza's argument, to her money missing work to cast suspicion on Miguel as the thief?

9. In what way could one see that there is even a subtle class system inherent among migrant workers?

10. In Chapter 9, before Mama is in the hospital, how does the reader see that her illness affects all?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the work ethic as evidenced in Esperanza Rising. What might the author be saying about the value of work?

Essay Topic 2

The characters in Esperanza Rising go from riches to rags. Explore the theme of becoming richer in some sense while actually becoming poorer in the economic sense. How is this notion developed as a theme?

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 775 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample