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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 did Tyler's grandfather give him the telescope?

2. On August 15, 2005, how long has Mri's mother been gone?

3. Who brings Grandma home after she leaves to avoid going in a nursing home?

4. Who are the girls in school who have made Mari their project?

5. Where does Tyler like to set up his telescope?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Tyler spend the month with his aunt Roxie and uncle Tony?

2. Who do Sara and Connie think might be calling their phone and then hanging up?

3. Why was Tio Felipe arrested?

4. Why does Ben think Mari gets upset when her sisters say she was born in Mexico?

5. What does Mari say about the money her father and uncles send to their family in Mexico?

6. What is Grandma's memory table?

7. What bad things happened on Tyler's family's farm during the summer?

8. Who attends Thanksgiving dinner in "Farm of Many Plots"?

9. Who does Tyler see coming out of a trailer on his farm?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Grief is a feeling of loss, usually because of the death of a loved one. How do Tyler and his grandmother deal with the loss of Gramps? How do Tyler’s parents deal with their grief? How do each of them handle their grief differently? What is revealed about coping with grief and how it is an individual process?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 833 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample