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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 Tom Bradley eventually make when the verdict is announced?

2. What happens when Captain Lane Haywood gets up on the roof to handle the fire better?

3. What effect does being a policeman have inside a courtroom?

4. According to Mrs. Park, how do the police come to know Mr. Park in the Compton area?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Gladis Sibrian look at the riots that happened after the Rodney King trial?

2. How does Otis Chandler look at money as an instrument for change?

3. Describe Richard Kim's story. How is he affected by the riots and how does he behave during the ordeal?

4. Describe why Harland W. Braun was reluctant to take on the case of defending Theodore Briseno, a defendant in the Rodney King trial.

5. Describe Betye Saar's impression of the events on the day of the verdict.

6. Explain Cornel West's theory on gangsterism.

7. Describe the sense of mission and community after the Watts riot, as narrated by Otis Chandler. What happens to it eventually? How does it relate to the Rodney King trials?

8. Describe Joe Viola's experience on the day of the riots. What does he feel and how does he behave during the riots?

9. What does "lightning but no rain" refer to?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Racism can be felt by anyone, colored or not. Is there any similarity between the discrimination a white person feels towards a colored one in a situation such as the one claimed by the African-American characters in the book, and vice versa, such as the one Rudy Salas, Jr. claims he receives? What are the similarities and differences between the two kinds of discrimination? Are the effects the same, to the person and to those he or she discriminates against?

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

A young female student from the University of California describes her ordeal at the time the riots broke. She describes how fearful she was for her safety and ironically, she discussed how fearful she was for her father's car. What can be deduced about this young student's personality based on the thoughts that are running through her head? Paint a profile of this young student and her position on racism. Specify which instances and statements illustrate her personality.

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