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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Abbie tell Will after their first child is born?

2. What falls from one of the wagons in Chapter 2?

3. What are the rumors that go through the community in Chapter 3 about?

4. What does Ed Matthews promise Abbie when he hears her singing?

5. Which of the following is NOT listed as something the government began providing to struggling families?

Short Essay Questions

1. What kind of house does Will build for his family?

2. How does the Deals' fifth crop turn out?

3. In Chapter 2, what catastrophe nearly befalls the Mackenzie family on their journey?

4. What pet does Will Deal keep? Why must he get rid of it?

5. Who helps Abbie when she goes into labor in Chapter 10?

6. What does Abbie think of Christine Reinmueller? Why does Abbie feel she should hide her feelings about Christine?

7. What advice does Abbie receive in Chapter 6?

8. What does Will dream about in Chapter 12?

9. What kind of person does Abbie aspire to be?

10. What is Abbie said to be fascinated by in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the dream versus reality motif in the novel. What does Abbie sacrifice her dreams for? Why might her dreams have been difficult for her to achieve? How does life get in the way of Abbie's dream?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the motif of motherhood. How does motherhood change Abbie? Is Abbie a good mother? Why or why not? How do Abbie's children impact her life?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the setting of the novel. In what way is the setting an important aspect of this story? How might Abbie's life have been different if she had not lived in the Mid-West during pioneering days?

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