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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 did positivism do with the ideals of the Reformation?

2. According to Trotsky, what should happen if the Revolution does not break out in advanced nations following World War II?

3. In Paz's estimation, why do the common people follow their revolutionary leaders?

4. Why was unemployment high in Mexico at the time that Paz was writing?

5. In Paz's philosophy, why must Mexicans face reality alone?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Paz explain the suicides of the Aztec people? Is it a reasonable explanation?

2. Why could Mexico not have progressed as far as she has today if she were working within capitalism?

3. Throughout his career, what did Jorge Cuesta argue? What are the benefits and downfalls of his argument?

4. Pulling from the ideas of Jose Gaos, Paz, speaks of the physical duality in Mexico. What does that mean? What significance does that idea have?

5. When did Independence begin in Mexico? How was it similar to or different from the Conquest?

6. What does Paz think of the Soviet Union? How does it compare to Mexico?

7. What did Article 3 of the new Constitution mandate? What troubles did that Article cause?

8. What role did Jose Vasconcelos play in modern education? From Paz's descriptions, what is his opinion of Vasconcelos?

9. What role did religion play in ancient South American cultures? Did Catholicism change that role?

10. What is Paz's definition of "community"? How is that definition knowingly idealistic?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the varieties of chingar that the author explains? Does that help your comprehension of the word? Does it enrich your understanding of Mexican culture?

Essay Topic 2

What is Mexico's relation to the rest of the world? How is it different from the past? What are Paz's hopes and fears for the future? Do you agree or disagree with his ideas?

Essay Topic 3

Does Paz's writing style mirror the subject? When is he vociferous? When does it feel that he is holding something back?

(see the answer keys)

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