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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 is the “big one’s” name?

2. What happens to Angel Vargas?

3. Where does Marin’s boyfriend live?

4. How many steps are in the front of Meme’s house?

5. What does Nenny want to buy, but Gil tells her it is not for sale?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Esperanza describe this day as a “good” day?

2. Why does Esperanza believe that the boys and girls in her neighborhood live in separate worlds?

3. Why does Esperanza think others think the people in her neighborhood are dangerous?

4. Why is everyone surprised by Darius’s observations of the clouds?

5. What happens in this vignette?

6. What is Alicia afraid of?

7. How does Esperanza try and convince her mother to allow her to eat in the canteen?

8. How does Esperanza describe her mother’s hair? What is her mother’s hair a metaphor for?

9. What does Esperanza’s mean in the English translation?

10. Why doesn’t Esperanza want to dance?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Toward the end of the book, Esperanza says this: "I have begun my own quiet war. Simple. Sure. I am one who leaves the table like a man, without putting back the chair or picking up the plate" (Chapter 35, pg. 89). How is this quote indicative of who Esperanza is currently, and who she will become?

Essay Topic 2

Esperanza is very much a product of her environment, as many characters are in this book. How have environmental factors affected the characters? How does Esperanza want to change this?

Essay Topic 3

Education

a. How does Esperanza view education as a way out of poverty?

b. Are there any characters that have pursued education before Esperanza?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 661 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample