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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 interests Captain Parker about the incident at the museum when Highhawk disappears?

2. Who does Chee discuss with Leaphorn?

3. Why does Chee finally leave Highhawk's office at the museum?

4. Who refuses to pay Fleck for a job he did?

5. How can Chee tell the Yeibichai is a replica?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Leaphorn observe about the handwriting on papers in the victim's luggage and what does he realize about one of the papers?

2. What do the prosecutors offer Highhawk and what is his response?

3. Describe Fleck's conversation with "The Client" after reading the newspaper articles.

4. Whose body is found in some bushes and what is the cause of death?

5. What does the recording found with Highhawk reveal?

6. What has Fleck done to the nursing home director and why?

7. What do Chee, Leaphorn and Captain Rodney find in the bin that contains artifacts from Borneo?

8. What is Fleck's association with Eddy Elkins and why does Fleck think of him in this chapter?

9. Describe the conversation between Leroy and Delmar Fleck.

10. What lesson does Fleck remember from his childhood?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Talking God, like most detective novels, involves the act of murder. Discuss the following:

1. What is murder? Is the act of murder always clearly murder?

2. Do you think the death of Leroy Fleck, who is a known murderer, is at all tragic? Why or why not.

3. Is murder ever justified? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of death. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with death? Why? What are some symbols of death? How much does this theme contribute to the plot of the story?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of mental/emotional illness. Which characters struggle with some sort of emotional illness? Why? Which characters seem really healthy emotionally/mentally? Why? Can the characters who seem mentally ill change? Why or why not?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of camaraderie within the ranks of cops. Why is this camaraderie important to some characters? Is anyone willing to abandon the camaraderie or feeling of belonging? Who? Why? What are the positive and negative sides to cops having such a closed fraternity? What other organizations maintain a close adhesion? Do they do so for the same reasons as cops do?

Essay Topic 3

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think Talking God is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

(see the answer keys)

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