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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 country did the walkers leave during their border crossing?

2. Why do Border Patrol agents create "drags" (28) running east-west along the desert?

3. Who got Mendez started working as a guide?

4. What fate did Quelele, warrior of the Sand Papagos, threaten the Mexican army with?

5. Which direction did people in Veracruz wish to go, according to Urrea in Chapter 2?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. To whom does the term "Coyotes" refer?

3. Who were the Yuma 14?

4. What were economic conditions like when the Yuma 14 lived in Veracruz?

5. According to Urrea, what is the most sensible interpretation of the sign "USA Prohibido!" for Spanish-speakers?

6. Who is Mike F.?

7. Who was Melchior Diaz?

8. Who was Don Moi?

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

10. According to Urrea, what was the most scandalous item provided in the survival kits that the Mexican government created for walkers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Urrea uses depictions of physical injury and violence in many different contexts, towards many different effects. Choose two depictions of physical injury or violence from different portions of the book. Explain each scene's narrative composition and surrounding context, then use these explanations to compare and contrast the scenes' subtext.

Essay Topic 2

High rates of immigration can bring demographic change, revealing ethnic tensions. Write an essay exploring Urrea's rhetoric regarding race and ethnicity, tracing the relationship between racial attitudes and immigration policy.

Essay Topic 3

The Devil's Highway is populated with an array of pseudonyms. Many of the people described are introduced as "John Doe" (32) and similar aliases. In some cases, aliases are all that we are ever given. Use evidence from the text, including direct statements of intent within the afterword, to interpret the significance of Urrea's decision to shroud the book's subjects in layers of anonymity and pseudonymity.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 527 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample