View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what type of structures do most of Raphael's neighbors live?

2. How much money do the police officers offer to give every family in Behala if someone finds and turns in the missing bag?

3. What does Raphael say is the meaning of the word "stuppa" (3)?

4. What does Father Juilliard say are "what we live by, even though we all know they're sometimes foolish" (52)?

5. What name does the interrogator call Raphael when he asks him who taught him to read?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Raphael says that he and Gardo might as well be brothers, what evidence does he give to support this conclusion?

2. What does Raphael say is the reason for Jose Angelico's arrest?

3. Why do Raphael and Gardo continue working nonchalantly after they find the leather bag full of money?

4. What are three cases that Pascal Aguila took on and won during his career?

5. Though the police beat Raphael severely, leaving him bruised and battered, what actions do they threaten him with that never actually come to pass?

6. Why do the boys jump off of the train before it pulls into the station?

7. What does Grace say about where she imagines Pia Dante is now?

8. What reasons does Gardo give for wanting to be patient and putting off their visit to the train station to check out what is inside the locker?

9. What is a "special" (18) and how does the idea of a "special" widen the scope of the reader's understanding of Trash's setting?

10. When Raphael is finally released from the police station, why does he laugh as he walks home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel Trash does not shy away from including graphic and disturbing details when describing the lives of the poverty-stricken children making their living within the dump or when portraying the dire conditions in which the society's prisoners are forced to live. Andy Mulligan has said that he wants to make sure young people all over the world are educated about the poverty and hardships that exist for children in many different societies. Some may say that the harsh realities depicted in Trash's narrative are too disturbing for that young audience, however. Write a persuasive essay in which you argue for or against the use of Trash in schools, and be sure to include several logical reasons with accompanying concrete details to support your claim.

Essay Topic 2

Deception is a theme that shows up often in the novel, whether it comes through in the boys' manipulation of Sister Olivia or in the corrupt senator's stealing of the money meant to relieve the country's extreme poverty. Develop a claim stating the author's message regarding deception and prove your claim with at least three instances of deception within the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Few characters within the novel have particularly strong relationships with members of their biological families and by omitting key relationships with inherent biological ties, the author can redefine the notion of family within the narrative. Choose three relationships within the novel that demonstrate familial bonds, describe the circumstances surrounding these bonds, and discuss how these relationships fuel the author's message about the definition of family.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,160 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample