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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. Who makes an unexpected appearance in Grass Valley?

2. Why does Oliver quit the New Almaden mine?

3. Why doesn't Ollie come with Susan to Leadville?

4. What is Oliver's mining job after Deadwood?

5. What was Susan's overall impression of the mine workers?

Short Essay Questions

1. Is Susan a good caretaker?

2. Why is Oliver unsuccessful in his attempts to market his invention?

3. How is the trip from Denver to Leadville symbolic of the Wards' marriage?

4. Why are Mrs. Elliott's suggestions so confusing to Susan?

5. How are the scenes in this chapter different from all the ones before and after as far as the marriage between Oliver and Susan?

6. How is Susan's embarrassment with her husband's social abilities highlighted in this chapter?

7. How does the servant girl Lizzie provide an example to Susan of the western way of life?

8. How are the 24 canaries sent to Shelley like the elk head sent to Susan?

9. How is Shelley's problem with her husband similar to Susan's problems with Oliver?

10. Why did Oliver resign from the New Almaden Mine?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What qualities did Susan admire in Augusta that she herself did not have? How did Susan shape her life to be more like Augusta's life? What did Augusta have that Susan wanted?

Essay Topic 2

What role did Shelley Rasmussen play in the plot movement in this novel? How did she compare with Susan Ward in Lyman's eyes? How did the author use Shelley to explain Lyman's character?

Essay Topic 3

How does the author expound on his theme of the importance of choosing the right spouse, or how the choice of a marriage partner rules our life?

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