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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 does Paulina tie to the chair?

2. Who is the first person to speak in this scene?

3. What does Paulina threaten to do if Gerardo goes to the police?

4. What is the purpose of the commission?

5. Who will preside over the trials?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Paulina say when Gerardo asks if she wants him to leave her?

2. What is Gerard doing with Paulina on the patio at the beginning of Act 3, Scene 1, that she had started before and what interrupted them before?

3. What music does Paulina play and what does she say to Roberto about the music?

4. What do Gerardo and Paulina do when the music ends?

5. What does Roberto say about Paulina to Gerardo and how does Gerardo respond?

6. Where does the last Scene open?

7. What does the audience hear from the room where Paulina went?

8. What does Gerardo first do when he gets home?

9. What does Gerardo say when Paulina asks who was in the car?

10. Why was the doctor involved with torture?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Paulina works herself into an excited fervor over the prospect of these individuals being punished or executed.

1. What do you think is the difference between revenge and justice? Use examples from the play and/or your life to support your answer.

2. Do you think Paulina's excitement is due to wanting revenge or wanting justice? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

The fact that this scene is set just before dawn could be symbolic of the dawn of realization that Roberto is not exempt from retaliation for his past deeds.

1. Why do you think the dawn could symbolize justice for Roberto?

2. At this point in the play Paulina is convinced Roberto is guilty, though Gerardo is not. As a reader do you believe Paulina's assertion? Why or why not?

3. If dawn might symbolize justice, could it also symbolize bringing the past to light? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The doctor initially became involved to save people's lives. He was asked to sit in on interrogations to tell how much electric current the prisoner could take, and then he could tell the interrogator when to stop before the person died. He never killed a single person.

1. Do you think any truly compassionate doctor would have done this? Why or why not?

2. Do you think Dr. Miranda's initial involvement with the prisoners violated his physician's oath? Why or why not?

3. Do you think Roberto should be punished for his involvement in the torture? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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