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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 children's acquaintances eats breadfruit voluntarily?

2. What is the name of Carlos's best friend in Chapter 27?

3. On what character does this chapter focus?

4. Who is "capable of poisoning [Carlos's] relationship with [his] father"?

5. With whom does Carlos see Fidel in person, as discussed in Chapter 38?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the miraculous event that Carlos witnesses in Chapter 35.

2. Describe the Aquarium of the Revolution.

3. Describe the young man who accosts Carlos and Jorge in Chapter 32.

4. What difficulties does Marie Antoinette face before she can find the boys in the United States?

5. What is Ernesto's family history?

6. What does Carlos imagine the diving board telling him to do, and why?

7. Describe the event that Carlos dreams of as thunder in Chapter 29.

8. How do Carlos and his grandfather react to the Communist propaganda in Chapter 38?

9. How does Carlos feel now as an adult about the time when he killed many lizards?

10. As discussed in Chapter 28, who are the Pioneers and what do they stand for?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the relationship between history and memory in this book. In your opinion, is this book more about Carlos's memories or more about history? Explain your thoughts, using as much detail from the text as you can remember.

Essay Topic 2

How does the Aquarium of the Revolution mitigate Carlos's highly negative picture of Communism? Is it enough to make the reader believe that Communism has good points? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the themes of fear and risk-taking and how the two interact with each other in the novel.

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