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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. How often do Alexandra and Marie usually see each other?

2. How much did Lou and Oscar want to sell the land for?

3. What does Ivar tell Alexandra he is afraid of?

4. How many sons does Oscar have?

5. What is the name of the town at the beginning of this book?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Carl and Alexandra spend their days while Carl is visiting?

2. What caused John's father's disgrace?

3. What kind of hardships has John Bergson faced in his attempts at farming?

4. What question does Alexandra ask Ivar about her hogs, and what is his response?

5. What does Amedee tell Emil he should do to be happy?

6. What does Alexandra tell Carl is the key to her success with the land?

7. What do Alexandra's brothers say about Carl as they leave the family dinner?

8. What does Alexandra say about her family when her farm hands criticize them for disagreeing with her?

9. What does Alexandria tell Carl when she meets him in town at the beginning of the book, and how does he respond?

10. How has Alexandra's plan come to fruition at the beginning of Part 2?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This book takes place in a few different settings. Describe some of these settings and how they affected the course of the plot. Why might Willa Cather have chosen these particular places for this plot to take place?

Essay Topic 2

Alexandra presented a very interesting and unique philosophy on life. What was this philosophy, and how did this different idealism affect the people around her?

Essay Topic 3

What are some of the key examples of gratitude in this book, and how do these instances affect that characters involved in those scenes?

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