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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. Why does Buzzworm hand out business cards on the street?

2. What does Gabriel check at the airport in Chapter 14?

3. In Chapter 10, how does Dona Maria talk about Gabriel to Rafaela?

4. Why does Bobby meet with traffickers in Chapter 15?

5. What does Emi do when the woman near her tries to start an argument about cultural diversity in Chapter 20?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 7, why does the crowd of people distrust Arcangel?

2. What does Bobby think about his disagreements with Rafaela before she left for Mexico?

3. What does Buzzworm do with his watches in Chapter 4?

4. Why does Rafaela steal from Dona Maria in Chapter 18?

5. Why is Gabriel finally able to interview Manzanar?

6. What does Gabriel say he will do if he wins the Pulitzer Prize?

7. In Chapter 13, what is Buzzworm's plan for improving Los Angeles neighborhoods?

8. In Chapter 5, how is Manzanar Mukakami introduced?

9. Why does Gabriel say things haven't seem right in Chapter 9?

10. After leaving the restaurant in Chapter 21, what new part of his identity does Arcangel reveal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the extended orange metaphor throughout the development of "Tropic of Orange". Consider the descriptions of the orange in relation to the scenes where it is features. How does the orange's physical movement serve as an extended metaphor?

Essay Topic 2

Complete a character analysis on Arcangel. How is he described? What role does he play in the novel? How do his magical qualities affect this novel? How does Arcangel's character influence the major themes of this novel?

Essay Topic 3

Explore the theme of immigration and cultural movement in "Tropic of Orange". How does the description of immigrants affect the reader's opinion of them? How are immigrants seen as being useful in this novel? How is immigration seen as a crime in this novel? How does the author define the movement of culture? How does the movement of culture affect the development of the characters and plot of "Tropic of Orange"?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 850 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample