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 type of work did Mr. Cruz do in North Carolina?

2. How many children do Uncle Larry and Aunt Vicky have?

3. What else is in a box of clothes Sara gives Mari and her sisters?

4. Around Halloween, what meteor shower will be visible?

5. How large is the turkey Connie cooks for Thanksgiving?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Mari compare the swallows to when Tyler tells her they migrate to Mexico in the fall?

2. What do Mari's father and Tio Armando do when Felipe is arrested?

3. What does Grandma think her husband would have said about having Mexicans work on the farm?

4. Why does Aunt Jeanne think that Grandma should not live alone?

5. How does Mari decide to deliver her letter to Virgencita de Guadalupe?

6. Who are Aunt Roxie and Uncle Tony, and why did Tyler spend a month with them in Boston?

7. Why does Grandma visit the Cruzes in their trailer in December?

8. Why did Mari's mother go back to Mexico alone, and how long has she been gone?

9. Why was Tio Felipe arrested?

10. Why did the Cruzes never participate in Halloween?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Day of the Dead is a holiday in Mexico that takes place over three days starting with Halloween. Why is the Day of the Dead important to Mexicans like Mari and her family?

Essay Topic 2

Backstories are used to present information about events that happened before events in Return to Sender. How do backstories provide insight into characters and events? What is the importance of backstories in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

In the novel, some characters are more thoroughly described than others. Who are some characters that are merely named in passing or have a minor role in Return to Sender? What is the importance of these flat characters to the storyline? In what way do these characters make the main characters more colorful or interesting? When there is conflict, what type of role do these flat characters play?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 981 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample