The House of the Scorpion Test 3 Review

“Overcome with shyness, I see,” El Patron said. “I picked up this lot in Scottland, breaking heads outside a soccer field. Always choose your bodyguards from another country, Matt. They find it harder to make alliances and betray you. Well, Matt, you make the choice. Which of these shrinking violets do you want for a playmate?”

• situational irony

• dramatic irony

• verbal irony

“Mi abuelita says people’s souls are like gardens”

• personification

• simile

• hyperbole

• idiom

“You’re exactly like Tam Lin,” said Maria. “He says El Patron is like a force of nature – a tornado or volcano or something. He says you can’t help being awestruck even when you might get killed. I think it’s all rubbish.”

• Allusion

• Imagery

• Paradox

At the beginning of the novel, the readers know Matt’s purpose for living, but Matt doesn’t.

• situational irony

• verbal irony

• dramatic irony

He grew large and green until he shadowed over the whole forest, but most of his branches are twisted.

• simile

• metaphor

• personification

• idiom

No matter how treacherous El Patron had been, Matt still loved the old man.

• allusion

• paradox

• foreshadowing

Matt believes that El Patron loves him very much because he bought him an expensive birthday present.

• situational irony

• verbal irony

• dramatic irony

It groaned along like an arthritic dinosaur and dumped the contents of the tanks into its cavernous belly.

• idiom

• hyperbole

• simile/personification

• metaphor

Matt saw nothing wrong with being born in a stable; Jesus had found it perfectly acceptable.

• imagery

• allusion

• paradox

Celia hugged Matt and said “No, darling. You’re safe from that. You’re safe for as long as you live.” She was crying, although Matt couldn’t understand why.

• situational irony

• verbal irony

• dramatic irony