View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How does Rodriguez's mother act differently in public?
(a) Her voice gets higher and she speaks more formally.
(b) She is more outgoing and friendly.
(c) Her voice gets lower and quieter.
(d) She struggles to speak English.

2. What example does Rodriguez offer of a program that can help minority students?
(a) His own experience: a strong educational background.
(b) Students who went to college for five years instead of four.
(c) Students who took a remedial reading course.
(d) Students he knew in graduate school who went for extra tutoring.

3. What does Rodriguez think about how the meaning of a person's complexion has changed?
(a) His dark skin used to be popular, but now is unpopular.
(b) People used to ignore his complexion, but now they make a big deal about it.
(c) His dark skin used to be unpopular, but now is popular.
(d) Nobody pays any attention to complexion any more.

4. How does Rodriguez change his religious practices?
(a) He goes to mass every day.
(b) He stops going to mass at all.
(c) He stops going to confession and listens to his conscience instead of the priest.
(d) He starts praying more regularly.

5. What does Rodriguez's editor say about his idea for a book?
(a) He will upset a lot of people.
(b) Writing it will be a lonely experience.
(c) It could be a best-seller.
(d) It is not an interesting idea.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Rodriguez think about his ability to succeed with women?

2. What changes Rodriguez's ideas about his complexion?

3. According to Rodriguez, what did some sympathetic professors do for black students who were struggling?

4. Where does Rodriguez go for his fellowship?

5. In Complexion, Chapter 3, what does Rodriguez realize about education?

Short Essay Questions

1. How would Rodriguez change affirmative action? What examples does he offer to support his suggestion?

2. What are Rodriguez's parents' ideas about masculine and feminine characteristics? How does that affect Rodriguez?

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

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

5. How does Rodriguez explain psychiatry to his mother? Does she understand? Why or why not? How does that discussion connect to his book and what he is willing to tell her about the book?

6. Why does Rodriguez's mother call him "Mr. Secrets"? In spite of his secretive behavior, what does Rodriguez believe she knows?

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

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

9. How does Rodriguez describe his mother's interaction with the public world? Give specific examples.

10. What conversation does Rodriguez have with a colleague about teaching positions? What decision does Rodriguez make as a result of that conversation?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,171 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample