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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 did Rudy do the first night he met Yolanda?

2. What happens to Sofia's father as the evening wears on at the party?

3. What did the mother always call the girls?

4. What hangs from the belts of the two men who help Yolanda when her car breaks down?

5. What did Sandi think she was turning into?

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. Why did Yolanda like Sister Zoe so much? What did the nun do to make Yolanda feel welcome and important?

3. What did the girls' father say about having all girls? Do you think he really felt this way?

4. How does the author describe the public schools in New York?

5. What is the significance of the father asking for a cab to go to dinner?

6. Where have the uncles gone who do not appear anymore at family holidays? Are they dead? Are they in prison? Where do you think they are?

7. 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?

8. 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?

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

10. Why is Sofia's father taken with her son, but not her daughter? Why does this anger Sofia?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is symbolic about the toys that grandmother returns with from New York? Why does she always bring gifts? Do you think she feels guilty about the children being born into a family that is in danger? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Compare life in the Dominican Republic and life in America for the girls. What changed when they moved to America? What was better? What was worse? How did their relationships with their cousins change? How did their parents change? Discuss daily life and school life as well as their change in social class.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,053 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample