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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. Where does Geraldo work?

2. What does Sally do instead of run around with the other kids in the monkey garden?

3. What does Esperanza accuse Sally of lying about?

4. What point of view is The House on Mango Street written?

5. Where does Earl live?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Esperanza hoping to hear when she has her fortune told?

2. Why does her Aunt Lupe tell her that writing will keep her free?

3. How does Esperanza’s perspective affect the information readers are given in this chapter?

4. How does the phrase “no speak English” take on two meanings at the end of this vignette?

5. Esperanza has her fortune told, and Elenita tells her that she sees a “home in the heart”. What could this mean for Esperanza’s future?

6. Why isn’t Rafaela allowed to leave her apartment?

7. Why did Marin stay with him in the emergency room?

8. What is Sally’s relationship like with her parents?

9. Why does Esperanza say she’ll allow “bums in the attic”?

10. How does Sally defy her parents?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In “Hips”, Esperanza, Nenny and their friends are discussing the girls who are growing and maturing. They are both excited by this new power of sexuality and terrified of it, why is this?

Essay Topic 2

In many of the vignettes, Esperanza is spoken down to or mistreated because of how poor her family is and her Hispanic ethnicity. How does she respond to the condescension? Does she understand it is happening? If so, what actions of her are indicative of this?

Essay Topic 3

Describe Cisneros’s style. Does she use figurative language? What is the syntax and diction indicative of? How does she give Esperanza a clear voice? Is it consistent throughout the book?

(see the answer keys)

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