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. What James Baldwin poem does Rankine excerpt in Part I?

2. What does Notes on the State of Virginia conclude that the Black race could not produce?

3. Who did Malcolm X say was the most disrespected, unprotected, and neglected person in America?

4. In her poem in Part I, what does Rankine say is in her voice when she says she feels herself slowing down?

5. What does Rankine write that college admissions processes are full of?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rankine worry about regarding the way many people - teachers included - seem to view Black children in general?

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

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

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

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

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 What historical document from the 1700s does Rankine include extensive sections of in Part II?

7. What reason does one white man offer to Rankine as an explanation as to why his son did not get accepted through early decision to Yale University?

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

9. Why does Rankine think it might be best for just her white husband to attend her daughter's parent-teacher conference?

10. What does a white friend of Rankine's tell her about white people speaking amongst themselves about racism?

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

At the end of the book, Rankine reveals that she asked a friend to read a draft of the book and the friend told her that the book did not lay out any real "strategy" (334). Do you agree with this critique? Why or why not? Write an essay explaining your answer.

Essay Topic 3

How does Rankine feel about, and react to, the idea of "color-blindness" and to people's insistence that they do not "see color"? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 767 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample