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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. The Nazis who storm Josef's family's home are never depicted directly by the author. Instead, what word is used to refer to them throughout the scene?

2. What does Mahmoud buy for his brother Waleed in one of the shops at the refugee camp in Turkey?

3. What type of Jewish ceremony do the people on Josef's ship hold during the journey?

4. In response to Lito's claim that Isabel is giving up her Cuban identity by leaving, Isabel's mother tells him that "Miami is just" (102) what?

5. What does Ivan want to be when he grows up?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Josef and the other kids on the ship tour become uneasy when they hear some members of the crew singing "The Horst Wessel Song" (95)?

2. How is irony employed within the author's choice of the material that lines Isabel's boat?

3. How does the author go about portraying Mahmoud as an empathetic soul?

4. What is ironic about Josef's feelings following his bar mitzvah?

5. Why does Mahmoud's family choose Germany as a place to run to when they leave Syria?

6. What is the clave?

7. List some of Isabel's and the other boat passengers' expectations of what life will be like in America.

8. What does Mahmoud buy for his little brother Waleed at a shop in the Turkish refugee camp and what does he hope to achieve with his purchase?

9. How does Josef view the difference between life on the ship above decks and life on the ship below decks?

10. What is the author's purpose for characterizing the Nazis terrorizing Josef's family as "shadows"? (1)

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author's inclusion of one of the following motifs within the novel: sound, images of leaders' faces, or music.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author's use of literary devices such as metaphor, simile, and personification. How are literary devices used by the author in order to support and underscore particular themes and messages within the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the instances of irony within the novel's narrative and analyze the author's purpose for including each instance you discuss.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,138 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample