Before We Were Free

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-book review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following words best describes Anita’s personality?

A) Introverted

B) Inquisitive

C) Diabolical

D) Depressed

2. Which of the following pairs of words describes the overall mood of the characters in Chapters 1-3?

A) Lackadaisical and genial

B) Aloof and disconcerted

C) Confident and brazen

D) Uneasy and tense

3. Throughout the novel, many of the characters use the adage “No flies fly into a closed mouth.” Which of the following sentences best describes the meaning of this adage?

A) Not telling secrets is inhumane.

B) It is best to always speak what is on your mind.

C) Keeping your opinion to yourself will stop problems in the future.

D) When you do not speak to others about your problems, it only makes you feel worse.

4. After speaking with Sammy and Oscar in Chapter 4, Anita reflects on the role that her new diary plays in her life: “It’s like my whole world is coming undone, but when I write, my pencil is needle and thread, and I’m stitching the scraps back together” (Chapter 4). Which literary devices does Anita use in this quote?

A) Hyperbole, metaphor

B) Allusion, simile

C) Personification, simile

D) Allusion, hyperbole

5. Which of the following best describes how Anita feels about Papi and Tío Toni?

A) Ashamed

B) Dismissive

C) Infuriated

D) Inspired

6. Chucha’s dream about Anita, her siblings, and Mami flying is an example of which of the following literary devices?

A) Personification

B) Paradox

C) Foreshadowing

D) Palindrome

7. Which of the following best describes Mami and Papi’s political affiliations?

A) They are staunch supporters of Trujillo.

B) They are apathetic to the workings of politics.

C) They are anti-American, pro-Russian community leaders.

D) They are dissidents of the Trujillo regime.

8. Which of the following best describes the mood between Mami and Anita while they are in hiding?

A) Supportive

B) Edgy

C) Mistrusting

D) Ashamed

9. Which type of act is Anita participating in when she continues to write in her diary?

A) Defiance of the political opposition

B) Solidarity with the SIM

C) Protest for the rights of indigenous Haitians

D) Expressing fear for her life

10. Which of the following styles of narration is the book written in?

A) Third-person

B) First-person

C) Second-person

D) Alternating first- and third-person

11. Which of the following best describes Anita’s focus during her first few months in New York?

A) She spends most of her time with Papi.

B) She prepares for her university exams.

C) She steals food from grocery stores.

D) She wishes to return to the Dominican Republic.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. Describe how the story’s protagonist, Anita, changes over the course of the novel. What are the reasons for these changes?

2. The novel begins and ends on a significant holiday in the United States. What is this holiday and what are the major changes that Anita’s family experiences within the span of this year?