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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. Who was the "bad-toothed scrapper" (85) that joined Mendez on the walk through the Devil's Highway?

2. What cardinal direction was the direction of death in the ancient beliefs held by some of the men from Veracruz?

3. Why does Urrea voice skepticism that Mendez truly believed the lights came from Border Patrol agents?

4. Which of the men does Urrea describe as the "grandpa" of the group?

5. How much water did the walkers carry with them on average?

Short Essay Questions

1. What disrupted the walkers' plans at Bluebird Pass?

2. Why did Mendez tell the men to pretend that they were going to San Luis?

3. What form of payment did Mendez insist on receiving?

4. What happened to the Coyotes after they abandoned the walkers?

5. Why did the Border Patrol agents fail to recognize Mendez?

6. Why were officials skeptical when Mendez claimed that he planned to return for the walkers?

7. How does Urrea describe Reymundo Sr.'s treatment of his son?

8. How did getting lost affect the walkers' opinion of the human smugglers?

9. What mistake did the Coyotes make when the men arrived at the big rock?

10. Why did Reymundo Sr. tear up his American money?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The main text of The Devil's Highway was published in 2004. The text of the afterword was published in 2014, allowing Urrea to reflect on the book's impact and the historical development of its subject matter. Choose one claim that Urrea makes about the trajectory of immigration politics. Use independent research and evidence from the text to support, dispute, or modify Urrea's claim.

Essay Topic 2

Religious imagery and rhetoric abound in The Devil's Highway. Analyze how Urrea uses these devices to shape the text's tone and themes. Provide evidence from the text and any outside research you may require to analyze the connotative or symbolic aspects of the author's word choice and the impact they have on the book's message and emotional content.

Essay Topic 3

Urrea goes into great detail about interactions between law enforcement and border crossers, describing popular perceptions of both groups and comparing them to his personal findings. Write an essay using The Devil's Highway as a basis to analyze the impact of law enforcement on the safety of border crossing. Conclude by suggesting which policies described within the book seem to have the best outcomes for human safety.

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This section contains 672 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample