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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. Which of the following is NOT one of the characters which captivate Esmeralda and her siblings?

2. Why is Mami uncomfortable with Papi's idea that Esmeralda take piano lessons?

3. What meal do all the children agree on?

4. What floats by the barrio Esmeralda's family moves to in "El Mangle"?

5. What does Esmeralda's neighbor suggest as a solution to Mami's need for time alone?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Esmeralda describe the stewardesses at the beginning of "Angels on the Ceiling"?

2. Discuss the difference in Gladys' and Esmeralda's reactions to the task of peeling potatoes.

3. Why does Esmeralda say that it is impossible to escape the stench when her family lives in El Mangle?

4. Explain why Esmeralda laughs at Sra. Leona at the end of "El Mangle".

5. What is Esmeralda's first impression of New York as the plane touches down?

6. How does the vision of romance which Esmeralda receives from soap operas compare with the relationship model she receives from her parents?

7. How does Esmeralda feel as Nicasia leads her through the process of blessing the dead baby?

8. Describe the house the family moves into at the beginning of "Letters from NY".

9. How does Francisco's family react to the news that he has cancer?

10. How does Esmeralda cope with the embarrassment of being singled out for her sub-standard math skills in front of the class?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze Santiago's treatment of her bilingual experience throughout the memoir. Discuss, for example, the way she transcribes her Puerto Rican accent in dialogue, the way she handles Spanish words in the text, and the glossary of Puerto Rican and Spanish words in the back of the book. What issues arise surrounding the treatment of English, Spanish, and "Spanglish" in the book?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze Santiago's presentation of family in the memoir. How does she treat her own family in writing this book? Does the family provide a healthy living environment? Is her family a traditional Puerto Rican family? If not traditional, is it in any way typical of a particular socio-economic, regional, or cultural group within the nation?

Essay Topic 3

How does Santiago address issues of Puerto Rican identity in this memoir about her childhood and immigration experience? To Santiago, what does it mean to be Puerto Rican? What does it mean to be a Puerto Rican girl living in the United States? How are these two identities different? How are they similar? Support your response with evidence from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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