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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 does Coleman encourage Miles to ask for dinner in Part IV?

2. What does Efrain particularly love about Marisela?

3. Who was A.J.'s first girlfriend in high school?

4. What does Jeremy find in an abandoned building in Part IV?

5. What can Jeremy tell Fierro is thinking of his first group therapy session?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Nora begin to piece together as a reason Anderson Baker might have wanted to kill her father?

2. What does Nora tell Jeremy about Max in Part III, and why?

3. Why does Nora decide not to tell her mother about Driss's affair?

4. Why does Nora become committed to the idea of running The Pantry in Part IV?

5. How does Coleman figure out how to catch the hit-and-run driver in Part III?

6. What does Nora say when Jeremy says something heartfelt and sweet to her in Part IV?

7. Why is Nora frustrated with Ray in Part IV?

8. Why is Coleman increasingly worried about Miles in Part III?

9. What does Salma do to cope with the pressures of her job and family in Part IV?

10. What does Nora do after sleeping with Jeremy for the first time that shocks and upsets him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Coleman finally arrive at the accurate conclusion as to who was responsible for Driss's death? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why does Efrain finally decide to come forward to tell his story as a witness to Driss's death? What does Lalami use Efrain's experiences and feelings to reveal about a poor immigrant's experience in America? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

What specific worries does Coleman have about her son throughout the novel, and what do these particular worries reveal about society's stereotypes and expectations regarding young Black men? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 640 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample