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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. Irving asserts that letting go of her self-image ultimately made her feel which way?

2. Irving describes noticing that most children of color at her workplace used which method of getting to school?

3. How many distinct groups of white mothers did Irving identity at the playgrounnd?

4. What type of item was used in the activity during which white participants became emotional?

5. Irving states that race has been a problem in America for how many years?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Irving first become familiar with the city of Cambridge and for how many years had she lived there at the time of her writing?

2. What major goal discussed in Chapter 22: did it take Irving years to accomplish?

3. What conclusions did Irving draw after seeing the results of the Magic Step activity?

4. What major mistake does Irving consider herself to have made during her project meant to serve inner city youth?

5. Before Irving learned about conflict resolution, how did she deal with uncomfortable feelings?

6. How did Irving first come to work within the public school system?

7. What purpose does Irving have in mind when she shares the family story about A Patch of Blue?

8. What did Irving learn from her experience with the mirror one year into her "waking-up process" (199)?

9. In what way does Irving link the themes of oppression and brutality within Chapter 34: Becomiing Multicultural?

10. How does Irving go about outlining the privilege inherent in her own life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What ultimate message is Irving sending about the mythical qualities of the United States?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay examining how the text portrays the American Dream. Is there one American Dream or are there many different ones, according to Irving? What is the text saying about the American dream in the 21st century?

Essay Topic 3

How do the themes of self-deception and secrecy function within Waking Up White and what is Irving’s message regarding these themes?

(see the answer keys)

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