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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. After Rafaela mails the cooler and calls Gabriel, what does Gabriel worry most about?

2. What does Rafaela do with the box she takes from Gabriel's in Chapter 24?

3. What does Gabriel ask Emi to do for him while he is out of town in Chapter 27?

4. In Chapter 23, why does Rodriguez hire Arcangel?

5. In Chapter 40, how does Bobby answer Xiayue's questions about America?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is "What's the Buzz?"

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

3. What happens when Gabriel goes to Mazatlan in Chapter 32?

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

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

6. What happens when Arcangel gives up moving the bus in Chapter 36?

7. How does Arcangel bond with Rodriguez in Chapter 23?

8. What happens after the gun is fired in Chapter 42?

9. What happens when Gabriel faxes Bobby the wrestler poster in Chapter 40?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the symbolism of one of the following: the trees, the nearly invisible line, the cooler, the Hollywood sign. What does the physical item represent about the characters in this novel? What does the physical item reveal about the major themes?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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