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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. At what age do most of the children stop coming to the Mission School altogether?

2. How many days of school do children at the Mission School have to attend in order to earn their two kilograms of rice?

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

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

5. In addition to Gabriel Olondriz, who is the focus of the boys' web search at the Pascal Aguila Mission School?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is different about the day the police come to orchestrate the search for the leather bag, versus a normal day within the dumpsite?

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

3. Describe Raphael's house in Behala.

4. What is the main point of Grace's piece of narration from the story?

5. Who was Pascal Aguila?

6. What reason does Grace give for Pia Dante not having lived with her father, Jose Angelico, while he was still alive?

7. 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?

8. What does Father Juilliard say about his imminent departure from his position running the Pascal Aguila Mission School?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Trace the characterization arc of Raphael's character throughout the novel. Discuss whether he is a round or flat character and whether he is a static or dynamic character. Use concrete details to support your claims.

Essay Topic 2

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 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.

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