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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. Why did the Mexican government stop distributing survival kits for border crossers?

2. What name is initially ascribed to all of the men who died on the journey described within the book?

3. What collapsing commodity most damaged the economy of Veracruz?

4. From what is the term "tonks," used in reference to border crossers by Border Patrol agents, derived?

5. What term did the media use for the men who died on the journey described within the book?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who oversaw the human smuggling operation that led the Yuma 14 into the desert?

2. What condition were the bodies of the Yuma 14 in when they were found?

3. How does Urrea characterize the relationship between Border Patrol agents and politicians?

4. Who was Melchior Diaz?

5. From what state did most of the Yuma 14 come?

6. Who were the Wellton 26?

7. Who was the man that Border Patrol agents referred to as "Rooster Boy"?

8. What is Desolation?

9. How does the sign warning travelers in Sasabe describe the Coyotes?

10. What techniques do Border Patrol signcutters use to locate walkers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Though The Devil's Highway is a non-fiction book, in incorporates many poeticized and fictionalized passages. Choose one or more passages from the book incorporating a poetic or literary technique such as stanzas, dialogue, metaphor, personification, symbolism, or character development. Explain how the technique is used in the passage, both justifying your choice as an example of the technique specified and analyzing the effect the technique's usage has on the reader. Conclude by explaining how the use of this technique impacts the book's truthfulness.

Essay Topic 2

Despite writing predominately in English, Urrea employs specific Spanish terms throughout the Devil's Highway, such as "tinaja" (7) and "polleros" (60). Choose one or more Spanish terms used within the text and analyze the effect they have in establishing the book's setting and/or themes.

Essay Topic 3

The struggle of Reymundos Sr. and Jr. is given significant prominence in The Devil's Highway compared to many of the other walkers, both living and dead. Write an essay exploring how these individuals are characterized and the tone that Urrea achieves when describing them. Conclude by explaining how this characterization and tone influence the reader's perceptions of the walkers as a group.

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This section contains 675 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample