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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 did Rankine identify as her "most corrupt thought of the year" in Part II?

2. Which social justice activist talked often about the so-called culture of whiteness?

3. What does Rankine notice in Part I about her "banter" with strangers?

4. Which Supreme Court Justice does Rankine take issue with for his assertion that he had no connections at Yale?

5. Where does Rankine begin to undertake conversation with white men who are strangers?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rankine quote Malcolm X as saying about Black women in America?

2. What is the significance of the "Unite the Right" rally that took place in Charlottesville Virginia in 2017, according to Rankine?

3. In Part II, why does a white friend of Rankine's tell her she has to defend Rankine to her own white friends?

4. What does Rankine describe Beyonce's album Lemonade as dealing with?

5. What statement of Hillary Clinton's does Rankine recall and quote on page 133, calling it appalling but not un-American?

6. Who popularized the phrase "white privilege" and when did it begin being used more often?

7. How does Rankine feel contemplating the overwhelmingly white parents and teachers at her daughter's school?

8. What assertion that Supreme Court Justice Brett Kanavagh made in his senate confirmation hearing does Rankine take issue with in Part I?

9. What image does Rankine include in the book that a British media personality, Danny Baker, tweeted after the birth of the royal family's mixed-race baby in 2019?

10. What historical document from the 1700s does Rankine include extensive sections of in Part II?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing Rankine's treatment of the broad theme of conversations. What does Rankine seem to believe conversations can accomplish - and fail to accomplish - when it comes to a national conversation in America about race and racism?

Essay Topic 2

Rankine employs a unique blend of poetry, historical documents, transcripts of conversation, and prose in this book. How do you think her choice of styles and structure affects the reader's experience? Write an essay explaining your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Rankine's white friend's behavior at the play "Fairview" upset her so much? How does the white friend's written response change Rankine's view on the events of that night? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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