90 Miles to Havana

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

Multiple Choice

1. As Julian thinks of a drawing his father made on a napkin, he recalls: “I don’t know how he did it, but he turned a few lines on a napkin into ten stories of real bricks and cement. That’s when I started thinking that drawing is like magic.” Which of the following literary techniques does this passage use?

A) A simile

B) Personification

C) Paradox

D) Alliteration

2. Why is the meaning of the novel’s recurring reference to an omelet?

A) Bebo’s ability to cook an omelet is an example of his inventive talent.

B) Julian’s attempt to prepare an omelet for his family reflects his desire to be a hero.

C) Bebo uses the omelet to illustrate something about revolutions.

D) The omelet reminds Julian of his home life before leaving Cuba.

3. On the plane to Havana, Julian reflects: “Every day, like clockwork, the clouds still build their castles, then they come tumbling down with the afternoon showers” (Chapter 7). What is the suggested meaning of this image?

A) People are easily affected by forces of weather.

B) Forces beyond human effort ultimately impact human actions.

C) Change is usually painful for people.

D) Like clouds, human beings’ actions are useless.

4. When Julian learns about the housing placement for himself and his brothers, he thinks, “We’re all drawing imaginary straight lines between Denver, Chicago, and Havana. They make sharp, jagged triangles, like the pieces of the broken plate.” What is the meaning of this image?

A) It shows the contrast between various alien (“jagged”) US cities and his mother’s favorite place.

B) It illustrates the poetic connection between the places his family members end up living in.

C) It reinforces the shame Julian felt when he had to wear the nametag that was attached to the plate.

D) It expresses the pain and loss caused by the family’s separation and displacement to various locations.

5. Which of the following best describes the mood during Tomás and Julian’s final days before their big trip from Miami?

A) contentment

B) tension

C) confidence

D) jubilance

6. On the boat from Miami to Havana, Julian notices that “[w]hen the moon peeks out from behind the clouds, threads of sparkling gems shimmer on the wake of the boat.” What idea  is most likely being suggested by this image?

A) It underscores the danger of traveling in a boat in the dark.

B) It illustrates how dependent people are on natural phenomena like moonlight.

C) It suggests there is some hope of a good outcome for this trip.

D) It expresses how vulnerable people are in the world.

7. Before Julian leaves Havana, he asks Bebo, “‘Bebo, do you want to come with us?’ I call after him. Bebo turns around and smiles. ‘Chico, I told you already: they’re cooking the omelet just the way I like it.’” (Chapter 39). Which of the following is true about the figurative meaning of the omelet in this quote?

A) The omelet is a popular dish in Cuba that represents the best qualities of the post-revolutionary nation.

B) The omelet represents the richness of Cuba’s contribution to American culture.

C) The omelet foreshadows increased tension to come between the US and Cuba.

D) The omelet is a metaphor for the revolution, which people react to in varied ways.

8. Julian remarks at his new house in Connecticut, “My mother is smiling. She doesn’t seem to hear the high, anxious note the vacuum cleaner is now singing as it tries to swallow my aunt’s new drapes.” What does the use of the word “swallow” suggest about Julian’s mother?

A) That she is naïve about the harsh life that awaits them in the US

B) That she is able to adapt to difficulties in their new world

C) That the gunfire in Cuba damaged her hearing

D) That she is learning to appreciate the noises of the US as “singing”

9. Which of the following best describes how Julian initially feels at his new school in Connecticut?

A) Enraged

B) Excluded

C) Excited

D) Fascinated

10. Which of the following activities brings Julian peace throughout the novel?

A) Fishing

B) Sailing

C) Singing

D) Drawing

Long Answer

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

1. The author uses the literary technique of foreshadowing throughout the novel. Choose one example of foreshadowing in the novel. Describe the meaning of this term and the effects your example has on the story.

2. Identify the following story elements of this novel: protagonist, antagonist, climax, and resolution.