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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. How much does Yolanda pay her young helper in the first chapter?

2. When the mother says there are now 6 girls, who is she referring to?

3. How did the mother dress her daughters when they were small?

4. What does Yolanda want to find and eat on the island in the first chapter?

5. What kind of lists did John make?

Short Essay Questions

1. How were the mother's inventions an important part of her American life? What did this say about her ambitions for herself?

2. What was the mother missing about Yolanda's poetry? When she went to the readings, what did she think she was hearing?

3. What is the significance of the electric typewriter? What does it mean to Yolanda? To her mother? To her father?

4. What is the response by the aunts to Yolanda's wish to take a drive in the country? Why do they all react this way? What do they warn Yolanda about?

5. Whose face is on the statue at the National Cathedral? Who carved the statue? What is Sandi's reaction to seeing her own face reflected back at her?

6. What does it tell the reader to know that the de la Torres compound is next to the palacio of the dictator's daughter? Does this mean that grandfather is an important man? Why? Why not?

7. What is important about the dinner with the Fannings? Why is it so important to the girls' parents?

8. When the girls are successful at removing Sofia from the island, what does this mean for Sofia and her future? Did the girls help their sister or hurt her?

9. Why is the mother not offended by Yolanda's speech, but her father is?

10. When Sandi falls and breaks her arm who carries her to safety? Why does Sandi cling to this person? What mixed emotions are played out in this scene?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

It seems important in the novel for the children to be educated, even if only for a few years, in America. What do you think is the opinion of U.S. colleges as compared to colleges on the island? What is an education in America going to give the children that they will not receive at home? It also seems important to travel to America for those who can afford it. Is it viewed as an important part of the childrens' education to be exposed to America?

Essay Topic 2

Why do all the servants who work for the family have wild backgrounds? Why do some of the servants dabble in voodoo or magic? How does all this relate to Sandi curing one of the servant's children and the sculptor using her face as the face of the Virgin Mary? What does this say about the society at large on the island?

Essay Topic 3

Compare life in the Dominican Republic and life in America for the girls. What changed when they moved to America? What was better? What was worse? How did their relationships with their cousins change? How did their parents change? Discuss daily life and school life as well as their change in social class.

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