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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 does the young man say happened to him in Chapter 13 when shots were fired?

2. In Chapter 4, what does Buzzworm say surviving has no room for?

3. In Chapter 4, who does Buzzworm find food for?

4. What makes Bobby think of Rafaela's brother in Chapter 12?

5. How does Buzzworm describe Los Angeles when he looks at a map of the city in Chapter 13?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Gabriel spend time near Mazatlan, Mexico in Chapter 1?

2. What does Arcangel do when he sees a broken down truck holding up traffic in Chapter 11?

3. Why does Rafaela leave Bobby?

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

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

6. How do the characters react to the appearance of crabs in Chapter 10?

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

8. In Chapter 1, how is Rafaela's life in Mexico described?

9. What history of Gabriel's work is given in Chapter 6?

10. How does Gabriel choose the trees for his landscaping in Mexico?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The official government plays a very small physical role in this novel, yet their presence and purpose is frequently commented on, or alluded to. What is the role of the government in "Tropic of Orange"? How do the actions of the government affect the conflict in this novel and the resolution sought by the characters? What is the effect of having the government alluded to by unrelated characters instead of being a direct character itself?

Essay Topic 2

How does the author use language and tone in developing the various settings and scenes in this novel? Consider the connotations of her word choice.

Essay Topic 3

What commentary on crime does the author provide in "Tropic or Orange"? Describe and analyze the different crimes committed throughout this novel to reveal a message about crime in American society. How do the characters react to these crimes? How do the criminals justify their crimes? In what ways is crime detailed to be a negative human behavior? A positive human behavior? What is the role of crime in the greater context of society?

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