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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 cured Yolanda?

2. What name do the sisters give to Otto?

3. Who was Yolanda's psychiatrist?

4. How did Yolanda tell John she was leaving him?

5. How is Manual Gustavo related to the girls?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are the girls so mortified by Sofia's boyfriend? What do they see happening to their sister? What will this mean in their own lives?

2. What does it tell the reader to know that the de la Torres compound is next to the palacio of the dictator's daughter? Does this mean that grandfather is an important man? Why? Why not?

3. Why were the girls not supportive of their mother's inventions? Why did they not take them seriously?

4. What happens to Carla when she enters the new school? Why is she not accepted? Why does she not complain?

5. Who are the Guardia? What do they do when they come to the de la Torres compound? Why do they take the actions that they do?

6. It is clear from the moment the men in khakis walk up the driveway of the Garcia home that the Garcias have a plan in case of danger. What is their plan and how do they execute it?

7. Explain the significance of the cake. What does each candle represent? Is there another meaning to the cake?

8. How does Carla react when she is asked by her father to keep a secret about how Mrs. Fanning kissed him?

9. What was the mother missing about Yolanda's poetry? When she went to the readings, what did she think she was hearing?

10. When Sandi falls and breaks her arm who carries her to safety? Why does Sandi cling to this person? What mixed emotions are played out in this scene?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How do you think this story would be different had the family never moved to the U.S.? What would have happened to the father? Do you think the grandfather had the political muscle to help the father and allow him to stay on the island? Why? Why not?

Essay Topic 2

From the first chapter it seems that danger is lurking on the island. What is the danger? How real is the danger? Why is it never discussed out loud? Why are the kids shielded from information about danger?

Essay Topic 3

How do you think being raised around all men with machismo affected the girls in their lives? How do they end up viewing men like their father and other men from the island? Are they attracted to men like this in later life? What about Otto? Does he possess these same qualities?

(see the answer keys)

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