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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 kind of position does Joey's father have?

2. What does the coach say about stopping or changing the time of football practice?

3. Where does Joey say the boys at the carnival go to school?

4. What does Mrs. Fisher expect will happen on September 6 due to Mike's death?

5. How does Paul find out he cannot play soccer?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Paul find out about the problem in question #3?

2. What changes in Tangerine does Paul foresee and what does he think about himself and changes?

3. Where does Paul go on his bike and what does he see about their subdivision?

4. Why is Paul called into the principal's office the Monday after his trip to the carnival and what does Paul do?

5. What does Paul's mother do about Mike's death?

6. What does Paul wear when he plays soccer and what do the kids say about them?

7. How did Erik learn to kick and what did Mr. Fisher do when Erik started playing football?

8. What boy Paul's age does Paul meet and what does he see while Paul watches soccer practice?

9. To what does Paul wake on August 9, who does he tell and what does she say to him? What do they do about the problem?

10. What news does Erik tell Paul and Mrs. Fisher when Erik comes home from school on Tuesday?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Erik pointing out that the "farm labor kids" have been invited to town. Paul urges Tino to ignore them, but Tino can't, and when he confronts Erik, Erik hits him full in the face with his fist.

1. It has been said that people who are prejudice or make fun of others are doing it out of their own sense of inferiority. Do you agree or not agree with this? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. What might be the situation in Tino's life that makes it difficult for him to ignore Erik's taunts? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. What do you think Erik hitting such a younger boy with his fist says about Erik's character? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an important part of what makes Tangerine interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Paul. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Mrs. Fisher. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Erik. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in Tangerine. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of courage in Tangerine. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of death in Tangerine. Consider the death of Mike as an random act of nature and the death of Luis as the result of conscious violence. Consider also in your answer the death of innocence in Paul from the beginning of the book to the end.

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