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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 statement does Sergeant Charles Duke give about Officer Powell's use of his police baton?

2. According to Chris Oh, how is his father shot, based on the story he hears?

3. Where does Salas' father's hatred of gringos stem from?

4. What effect does his encounter with the police officers in 1942 have on Salas?

5. What statement does Haywood make about the women he sees in the riots and the fire?

Short Essay Questions

1. Briefly explain Rudy Salas, Sr.'s hatred of white police. Where does it come from and what continuously fuels it?

2. Describe how Sergeant Charles Duke feels about the use of physical force by police officers.

3. Describe Elaine Brown's stand on guns.

4. Describe the story of the anonymous juror from the Simi Valley. How is his life affected by the trials?

5. Describe Mrs. Young-soon Han's realizations about the events surrounding the Rodney King trial. Do her feelings towards America change before and after the trial? What changes happen?

6. Describe John, Murika, and Judith Tur's stories in relation to the beatings. What do they witness and how do they feel about the events they have witnessed?

7. Discuss Twilight Bey's observations during the night.

8. What does Chris Oh say about his father's condition? How does he feel?

9. Why does Twilight Bey stay up all night? Why do people call him "twilight"?

10. What convinces Harland Braun to eventually take on the case of Theodore Briseno? Explain his analogies to the story of Pontius Pilate.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Rudy Salas Sr. refers to his feelings of racism as "insanity". Is it really some form of insanity, and if so, what is it? Is it paranoia, dementia, phobia, addiction, mania, depression, or some other type? Doesn't the fact that he can look at it from an objective manner indicate that he is rational about it? Why does he want to call it insanity, then? Is it just a convenient excuse to act the way he does? Are there many others like him in the story? Describe these other characters briefly.

Essay Topic 2

Elvira Evers has a very interesting story about how her baby came to be born. How does the book paint Elvira Evers based on the descriptions and the situations cited? Is she religious, bitter, or brave? What can be deduced of Elvira Evers' personality based on the book?

Essay Topic 3

"Choke holds" was a topic that was discussed in the story. One of the theories offered that cases against police officers would increase because of choke holds being eliminated, which would then result in uncontrolled violence among police officers. Is this theory valid? Does it say, then, that the police cannot determine for themselves what is acceptable and what is considered abusive? Are choke holds a limitation, or an opportunity/justification for violence?

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