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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. When she did not have enough money to buy a new dress for the funeral, what did Rebecca buy instead with the little money she had?

2. What emotion did Manny realize the hospital receptionist's sighs about Magda's condition really signified?

3. What natural disaster occurred within the dream that Manny had about Grandma Rosa after she died?

4. What did Manuel use to hit Manny and Nardo at the wake to stop them from wrestling each other?

5. What drink did Nardo go inside Grandma Rosa's to get when he and Manny were almost done with the yard work at Grandma Rosa's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who were the Berets?

2. 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?

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

4. How did the various family members act differently from one another at the wake for Grandma Rosa that was held after the funeral?

5. 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?

6. Though at first Rebecca claimed it was their lack of money that was keeping her from taking Magda back to the hospital after her fever kept rising, what did she finally admit was the real reason?

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

8. When the fight was not going well for Lencho and Miguel screamed at him to attack Boise, what reason did Manny give for wanting to scream at Miguel to shut his mouth?

9. Why is it ironic for Lencho to be kicked out of the Berets after losing his boxing match to Boise?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explicate the theme of trust within the novel, particularly in relation to the novel's title. What is the author's message regarding trust and how do you know? Use specific concrete details from the novel to support your claim.

Essay Topic 2

Write a feminist criticism essay of the novel, using textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the treatment of gender roles in the book.

Essay Topic 3

Victor Martinez cites one of his main literary influences as the poet William Carlos Williams, who is famous for his philosophy of literature that states, “There are no ideas but in things” (216). Discuss the meaning of this literary philosophy and explain how Parrot in the Oven displays its use. Use textual details to support your discussion.

(see the answer keys)

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