View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. As Manny's father walked away from the car that would not start, what did Bobby and Stinky do to annoy him?

2. What does the Spanish word "perico" (51) mean?

3. What did Manny's mother do upon hearing him curse?

4. When Manny arrived home and his mother told him to stop blocking the television, what had Manny been sure she had been about to ask him to do?

5. Once the Immigration officers had departed with their prisoners, what did everyone left claim they had done to help the Mexican people?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the theme of "otherness" emerge within the aftermath of the Immigration officers' removal of the illegal immigrants from the field?

2. What was the main reason Nardo was reluctant to work in the fields?

3. What happened to alert Rebecca that Manuel was angry with Manny and that that was the reason he would not leave the pool hall after spending Manny's $20 on alcohol?

4. How does the theme of domestic violence arise sharply within the scene when Manuel returns from his two-day drinking binge?

5. What effect does the simile have on the reader when Manny saw a van coming toward the fields and described it as "approaching like a dog sneaking up on a bush" (13)?

6. What emotions did Nardo display while he watched the Mexican man pick peppers in the row next to his?

7. What is the significance of Manny's daydream about being on the baseball team and having people looking at him?

8. Why was it so uncomfortable for Manny to be within the weighing area where the chili peppers were weighed out for measuring how much each person would be paid?

9. What is ironic about Nardo being the one that "jeered at the [Immigration] officers" the loudest as the people were led away and put into vans?

10. What did Manuel do with the $20 he took from Manny's pocket?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the treatment of the unconscious within the novel, in particular focusing on dreams and second sight. Why are these elements included by the author and what effect do they have on the reader's understanding of the novel's themes and messages? Use concrete details from the narrative to support your points.

Essay Topic 2

Explicate the theme of trust within the novel, particularly in relation to the novel's title. What is the author's message regarding trust and how do you know? Use specific concrete details from the novel to support your claim.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the interplay between the climax of the novel and the resolution of the novel. How does the author employ them and how does their juxtaposition help him get across the main message of the novel? Use quotes from the narrative to prove your claim.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,677 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample