Severita Lara

The author includes paragraph 2 and 3 in the selection to -

• give information about Crystal City's location, school age population, and high school leadership.

• show why Severita felt that Mexican Americans students in Crystal City were treated unfairly.

• explain how the cheerleading squad at Crystal City's high school was selected.

• describe how Mexican American and Anglo residents of Crystal City cooperated to elect the school board.

Which choice best summarizes paragraphs 5 through 7?

• Severita talked to the school superintendent about how Mexican American students were treated, and he agreed to make some positive changes.

• Severita tried to talk to the school board about how Mexican American students were treated, but the board wouldn't listen until Mexican American students' parents attended the school board meeting.

• Severita and her parents convinced the school superintendent and the school board to let her be on the cheerleading squad.

• Severita and other students convinced the superintendent to change how Mexican American students were treated. The students tried to talk to the school board, but the board wouldn't listen.

From the information provided in the selection, the reader can conclude that Severita and other students decided to boycott the school -

• only after their attempts to bargain with school officials failed.

• when Diana Polacios was denied a position on the cheer squad.

• after the superintendent agreed to consider the changes the students wanted.

• when the school board agreed to meet with the students and their parents.

Lines 5 through 7 show that the speaker of the poem -

• is angry that he has to eat in the kitchen

• is patient and confident that his situation will improve

• usually doesn't have enough to eat

• needs to get his strength back

Which line uses figurative language to convey the speaker's sense of self-worth?

• They send me to eat in the kitchen

• I am the darker brother

• I, too, am America.

• They'll see how beautiful I am

Why does the poet include stanzas 3 and 4?

• to suggest that the speaker will grow to be stronger than his brothers

• to describe the speaker's true feelings about eating in the kitchen

• to show the speaker feels he will be treated differently in the future

• to explain the speaker does not care what people say

What statement could be supported by the passage and the poem?

• All Americans should have enough to eat

• All Americans should have the opportunity to be leaders

• All Americans are beautiful

• All Americans should be treated equally

One difference between "Severita Lara" and "I, too, am America" is that "Severita Lara" suggests that -

• people acting together can change society

• there will never be complete equality

• social change is a long and slow process

• boycotting is the only way to end discrimination

Severita Lara and the speaker of the poem are both -

• discouraged

• determined

• beautiful

• angry

Which statement from the poem best represents the message of "Severita Lara"?

• They send me to eat in the kitchen

• But I laugh

  And eat well,

  And grow strong

• I, too, and America

• They'll see how beautiful I am