Bronx Masquerade Selection Quiz

Read the excerpt from paragraph 2. I guess Raul’s self-portrait fits, since we’ve been talking a lot about identity. He’ll probably put it up next to his poem. You should have seen him hang that thing. You’d think he was handling a million-dollar masterpiece the way he took his time placing it just so. Which phrase best describes how Raul is characterized in this excerpt?

• Proud of his artwork
• Determined to get rich
• Concerned for his safety
• Confused about his identity

Which words from paragraph 2 help the reader understand what tirade means?

• must be in shock
• talk to him
• he’ll snap
• one misspelled word

This question has two parts. First, answer Part A. Then, answer Part B. Part A Which inference can the reader make about Diondra?

• She considers playing basketball a waste of her athletic talent.
• She wishes to keep parts of her life private to avoid being ridiculed.
• She thinks Mr. Ward’s classroom gallery is embarrassing to students.
• She believes that Raul’s poem is amateurish compared to his painting.

Part B Which quote from the selection best supports the answer to Part A?

• Now half the room looks sort of like an art gallery, which was the idea. We’re supposed to use the paper frames for our work. (paragraph 2)
• If you look close, you can see the smudges where he erased a word or two and rewrote it. Mr. Ward must be in shock. (paragraph 2)
• Everybody expects me to play basketball, so they pick me for their team, throw me the ball, and wait for me to shoot. (paragraph 4)
• I’m an artist, like Raul. The difference is, I don’t tell anybody. I refuse to give them new reasons to laugh at me. (paragraph 4)

How does Diondra’s perspective change after she views Raul’s self-portrait?

• She realizes she could create a better painting than Raul.
• She feels less pressure to be a good basketball player.
• She wants the positive attention that Raul is getting.
• She decides she is tired of hiding who she really is.

Choose the word or phrase that correctly uses a gerund in the underlined section in the sentence below. With paint is a good way for students to express themselves.

• Paint
• To paint
• Painting
• correct as is

Which two comments by Devon suggest that he resents being defined by expectations other people have for him?

• You’d think it was written somewhere. Tall guys must be jocks. (paragraph 14)
• Ask me, she’s got no business playing b-ball. That’s my game. (paragraph 14)
• Judging from the company he keeps, he’s a gangsta in sheep’s clothing. (paragraph 15)
• My older brother’s always after me to hit the streets with him, calls me a girly man for loving books and jazz. (paragraph 16)
• Don’t get me wrong. B-ball is all right. (paragraph 17)

Read the excerpt from paragraph 15. The law is be cool, be tough, play ball, and use books for weight training—not reading. Otherwise, everybody gives you grief. Don’t ask me why I care, especially when the grief is coming from a punk like Wesley. What does grief mean in as it is used in this paragraph?

• A cause of suffering
• Trouble or annoyance
• Deep sorrow or regret
• An unfortunate outcome

How is Devon affected by seeing Janelle in the library?

• He becomes more confident about his interests.
• He realizes that it is unfair to judge others so harshly.
• He realizes that he must sneak around more carefully.
• He becomes interested in learning more about poetry.

Through all three of the narrators’ perspectives, the author explores the theme of —

• being comfortable with oneself
• working hard for athletic success
• the pressures parents put on their kids
• the challenges of academic achievement