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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was the source of Manny's and Pedi's argument while he was babysitting her during Magda's date?
(a) Prune juice.
(b) Chocolate.
(c) Root beer.
(d) Macaroni and cheese.

2. After Manny slipped out of Grandma Rosa's wake, what kind of tree did he climb?
(a) A mulberry tree.
(b) An oak tree.
(c) A cactus.
(d) A cherry tree.

3. When Manuel came in the room and recognized what was happening, what did he say?
(a) Leave her alone.
(b) Take her to the hospital.
(c) My own daughter.
(d) Put her in water.

4. What did Nardo do just before he went to bed on the night he climbed into the bedroom window?
(a) He kissed Manny good night.
(b) He told Manny that he had gotten a job.
(c) He stared at himself in the mirror.
(d) He asked Manny if they should to visit Grandma Rosa soon.

5. What did Manny describe as the two main activities that students did in Miss Van der Meer's English classes?
(a) They read mythology literature and they put on plays.
(b) They held debates and they participated in Socratic seminars.
(c) They learned Greek and Latin roots and they studied Shakespeare.
(d) They read detective fiction and studied Shakespeare.

Short Answer Questions

1. What was the weather like on the day Manny and Rebecca took Magda to the hospital?

2. What caused Manny to think he had shot and killed Pedi when the rifle had accidentally gone off in his hands?

3. Why did Manny and Albert sit outside to eat even though it was too cold for most students to do so?

4. What was Manuel doing when Manny, Magda, and Rebecca got home from the hospital?

5. What simile did the author use to describe the weather on the day of Grandma Rosa's funeral?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Grandma Rosa emerged from the house while Manny and Nardo were working in her hard, what memories did she tell the boys about?

2. What actions did Manny hope Rebecca would take in response to Manuel's abusive actions that resulted in his being jailed?

3. Why did Nardo have a particularly difficult time in the first few hours of hard work he and Manny did in their grandmother's yard?

4. Why was Manny particularly concerned about his parents finding out about Nardo getting drunk and sneaking back into the house?

5. What actions did Manuel take on the day Magda went to the hospital that were indicative of his usual tendency to take a hands-off approach to his family's problems?

6. What did Manuel do after he got out of bed and realized what had happened to Magda?

7. How does Manny's act of nearly shooting his little sister Pedi play into the novel's theme regarding the power of choice?

8. Why was Manny so reluctant to let Nardo go into Grandma Rosa's house to fix them some Kool-Aid?

9. How does Miss Van der Meer's classroom represent the theme of racial inequality?

10. Why did Manuel assume that Grandma Rosa's house would go to Rebecca and what were his plans for it when that happened?

(see the answer keys)

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