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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What changes Rodriguez's ideas about his complexion?
(a) He works construction and gets comfortable about revealing his skin.
(b) He talks about it with other minority students.
(c) He writes a news story about the "Black is Beautiful" movement.
(d) He talks about it with one of his professors.

2. Who teaches Rodriguez that stereotypes are not accurate?
(a) His boss at his job.
(b) The other students.
(c) His professors at Stanford.
(d) The well-educated construction workers.

3. When does Rodriguez think that minority students should get help?
(a) When they look for a first job.
(b) At the earliest possible age.
(c) When they start college.
(d) When they are in high school.

4. According to Rodriguez's family, what is wrong with Richard?
(a) He needs to be more responsible.
(b) He is more like a woman because he talks a lot and has soft hands.
(c) He needs to talk more when he is at home.
(d) He needs to work at hard labor.

5. What comment from a professor makes Rodriguez rethink his use of the label "minority student"?
(a) That he does not count as a minority.
(b) That he automatically gets an "A" because he is a minority.
(c) That his opinion is based on his minority status.
(d) That he is a bad writer because he is a minority.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Rodriguez aware of when he visits his rich friends?

2. Why does Rodriguez's mother not understand his explanation about psychiatry?

3. What is one thing that Rodriguez says happened to black students promoted through affirmative action?

4. What example does Rodriguez offer of how affirmative action can have negative consequences?

5. How does Rodriguez's sister feel about her children's complexions?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rodriguez think about the current system of affirmative action? Give two examples he uses to support his argument.

2. How does Rodriguez overcome his attitudes about dark skin? Give two specific examples.

3. How does Rodriguez feel about white students' attitudes toward affirmative action?

4. Now that he is older, how do people respond to Rodriguez's skin color?

5. How do Rodriguez's ideas about religion change as he grows up? How does his practice of religion change?

6. What does Rodriguez learn from working with the construction workers? Give two specific examples.

7. What does Rodriguez think about the Civil Rights Movement?

8. How does Rodriguez use the label "minority student"? How does he feel about it? Give specific reasons why he feels that way.

9. Rodriguez looks at the students of the 1960s and 1970s from a teacher's perspective. What does he see as the difference between them?

10. How does Rodriguez feel about writing? How does he feel about writing about his family? How has he handled it in the past? How is he handling it now?

(see the answer keys)

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