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. How old does Emi say she was when Manzanar disappeared from her life?

2. Who does Gabriel contact when he realizes he can't track the smuggled oranges?

3. What does Rafaela do when she first sees Bobby in Chapter 45?

4. Why does Bobby leave for the wrestling match in Chapter 40?

5. In Chapter 25, how does Gabriel describe Emi's opinion of the recent events in Los Angeles?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Buzzworm do once he has possession of the cooler Rafaela mailed?

2. In Chapter 45, what happens when Bobby and Rafaela reunite?

3. What do Buzzworm and Emi do before Emi dies?

4. How does Rafaela protect herself from the man in the black Jaguar?

5. What happens when Arcangel tries to cross the United States border in Chapter 33?

6. What happens when Rafaela calls Gabriel after mailing him the cooler from Dona Maria's?

7. While crossing the border into the United States, what do Xiayue's questions remind Bobby of?

8. Why does Rafaela visit Gabriel's house, after leaving Dona Maria's, in Chapter 24?

9. Why is Buzzworm concerned about the herion injected in oranges when he hears about it in Chapter 22?

10. What does Emi confess to Buzzworm when she is on top of the news van?

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 is "Tropic of Orange" a satire? Define the genre and consider the aspects of this novel that fit the description. How can you account for the aspects of this novel that do not appear to be straight satire? What makes satire an effective, or appropriate, genre for the message of "Tropic of Orange"?

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 843 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample