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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 does the Priest prize that Tomas does at Automotores?

2. What does Tomas's mother ask him if he is doing too much of in Chapter Nineteen?

3. What kind of intelligent does the Colonel say that Tomas is?

4. Why does Tomas give Isabel the Priest's license plate number?

5. What does Isabel say is the only thing she agrees with her mother on regarding Tomas?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter Fifteen, why is Tomas particularly nervous when Anibal calls him into his office?

2. What would happen to prisoners who needed a defibrillator if Tomas was on his days off?

3. In Chapter Seventeen, why is Pichuca very worried?

4. What job does the Colonel end up arranging for Tomas?

5. In Chapter 11, what does Tomas tell Isabel about his first few weeks at Automotores?

6. What does Tomas do for Gustavo in Chapter Ten?

7. What does Tomas recall about his mother's death?

8. Why is Tomas's mother getting increasingly worried about him in Buenos Aires in Chapter Ten?

9. What does Gustavo tell Tomas and Pichuca to do on the drive to his house with Isabel?

10. Why does Triste tell Tomas to speak to Gordo in Chapter Twelve?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Loedel's own family history, as he describes it in the afterword, inform his writing of this novel? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay exploring how Loedel establishes and maintains a sense of suspense throughout this novel, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

What does Tomas think of Pichuca's cryptic message on her deathbed that he would get a "do-over?" What does this "do-over" end up consisting of? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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