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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. Because of his skin color, what did Rodriguez's parents worry about?
(a) That he would get involved with a gang.
(b) That he would take a hard labor job.
(c) That people would discriminate against him.
(d) That he would have a harder time in school.

2. How does Rodriguez feel about writing a book on his family?
(a) He is excited about it.
(b) It is very easy for him.
(c) It is very hard for him.
(d) He is worried about what his family will say.

3. What does Rodriguez think about his ability to succeed with women?
(a) He will fail because his skin color makes him ugly.
(b) He can only flirt with dark-skinned women.
(c) He will succeed because he has such a beautiful "tan."
(d) He will attract a lot of women because he is "exotic."

4. Does Rodriguez's mother blame him for what happened to their family?
(a) Yes.
(b) No, but she thinks he made it worse when he went to London.
(c) No.
(d) Yes, but she also blames herself.

5. Now that he is a teacher, what does Rodriguez blame white students for?
(a) They do not make an effort to help poor white students get an education.
(b) They are arrogant and selfish about their grades.
(c) They think they are smarter than the professors.
(d) They are rude to the minority students.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Rodriguez think about the old religious traditions of his childhood?

2. What is the Third World Student Movement?

3. Based on her behavior, who does Rodriguez's mother consider part of the "gringos"?

4. What does Rodriguez learn about complexion from his family?

5. In Complexion, Chapter 2, what does Rodriguez do to try to change his skin color?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How does Rodriguez describe the change in the Catholic Church that happens as he grows up?

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

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

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

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

7. As more minority students attend college, what does Rodriguez notice about their relationship to their culture? Give specific examples.

8. As a child, what does Rodriguez learn about dark skin?

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

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

(see the answer keys)

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