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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. What does the party searching for Juan lead?

2. When do those searching for Juan make camp?

3. To whom does Juan say he will tell his people's history?

4. Who does Juan say are new tribes?

5. Who decides to go looking for Juan?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Juan and the others leave camp in the middle of the night?

2. What does Juan say to Sean, Montero, Eileen and Mariana when they arrive at his home?

3. Describe the Mulkerin ranch house.

4. Why does Juan not think there is a reason to share much about his people and their history?

5. How does Eileen's family end up in Spain and then how does Eileen end up in Mexico?

6. Where do Eileen and Juan go and what do they talk about as they travel?

7. Describe a couple of the men who are with Wooston when he comes to tell Eileen of Wooston's intentions to evict the Mulkerin family.

8. What does Juan tell Eileen about his people?

9. How is Mariana received at the Mulkerin home?

10. How does Sean come to be a sailor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"The Californios" belongs to the western novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the fictional memoir genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think are the differences between western fiction and a southern fiction?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of "The Californios", identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (xposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement.) Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements of "The Californios". (They may not contain every element of a major plot.) Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. Choose two incidences in "The Californios" and compare/contrast the way Juan's culture and the western, white culture view those incidents.

2. Write an argument/persuasion essay addressing the idea of assimilation versus a group keeping their own culture when they live within a larger culture.

(see the answer keys)

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