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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. Who is Jay's teacher for AP Calculus in "A Narrower Country than Expected"?

2. What is Jay's mother's name?

3. What Tagalog word means "gifts for the family" in "Like a Fog" (56)?

4. What does Grace do for much of the car ride in “A New Silence Arrives”?

5. Where does Tomas drop Grace and Jay off in "Lead the Way"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Jay's dream in “A Visit." What imagery is used in the dream?

2. How are Angel and Grace's demeanors described in “A New Silence Arrives"?

3. Who are Jessa and Mia? How are they described?

4. What does Jay's father say about his feelings of the Philippines in "Things Inside"?

5. How is the atmosphere around dinner described in “Every Single Surviving Word"?

6. How would you describe Jay's relationships with his siblings?

7. Who does Jay question about his missing letters in “Not an Answer to the Question"? Why?

8. Where does Grace take Jay in "Lead the Way"? Why is this surprising?

9. Where does Jay live? Where was he born and where did he grow up?

10. What event does Jun describe in his letter that Jay reads on the plane in “The Strength of My Conviction"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine and discuss journalism and the quest for truth as themes/motifs in Patron Saints of Nothing. What characters in the novel are connected to these themes? How do these characters influence Jay? How does the meaning of truth change for Jay in the course of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the plot structure of Patron Saints of Nothing. What is the inciting incident in this story? Where does the climax occur? What information is related to the reader in the falling action and denouement?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the themes of justice and injustice in Patron Saints of Nothing. How are these themes developed through the action of the story? How are they developed through character? What symbolism relates to these themes?

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