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 did Mr. Hart write on the paper bag during his meeting with Manny in his office?

2. When Nardo filled his container more quickly than Manny did, what did he buy at the taco truck?

3. How many days did Manuel's drinking binge last before Rebecca and Manny went to try to get him to come home?

4. When Pedi was helping Manuel pick up the bullets he had dropped onto the ground, Manuel picked up a bullet as well. What did he do with it?

5. What was it about chili pepper picking that "lured workers from Mexico needing quick cash for rent or emergency food" (11)?

Short Essay Questions

1. What effect does the simile have on the reader when Manny saw a van coming toward the fields and described it as "approaching like a dog sneaking up on a bush" (13)?

2. What is the significance of Manny's daydream about being on the baseball team and having people looking at him?

3. Why was Manuel immediately furious when he saw Manny get out of Mr. Hart's car?

4. What did Manny mean when he said, "Miracles don't wait for doubters" (8) once Nardo had agreed to come work in the fields with him?

5. What happened to alert Rebecca that Manuel was angry with Manny and that that was the reason he would not leave the pool hall after spending Manny's $20 on alcohol?

6. How does the theme of domestic violence arise sharply within the scene when Manuel returns from his two-day drinking binge?

7. What was the main reason Nardo was reluctant to work in the fields?

8. What is the significance of Manuel's words to Manny after he snatched the $20l from Manny's pocket?

9. What did Manuel do with the $20 he took from Manny's pocket?

10. How does the theme of "otherness" emerge within the aftermath of the Immigration officers' removal of the illegal immigrants from the field?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many characters within the novel have conflicted feelings about race--their own and others'. Choose at least three scenes in which the author demonstrates the complicated nature of race relations and use quotes from the novel to support your claims about the novel's treatment of race.

Essay Topic 2

Weather is often described by the author in great detail, particularly within significant scenes. Choose three scenes in which the author describes the weather and discuss how weather is used to set a particular mood for each scene. Use quotes from the novel to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss how the themes of truth and lies are interwoven within the novel’s narrative. Create a strong, specific claim and support it with concrete details from the novel.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,686 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample