View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is Nellie Linton?

2. What does Susan intend to do when she returns to the East Coast after Frank's death?

3. How old is Shelley in this chapter?

4. What is the purpose of Oliver's visit to the Michoacan mine

5. Susan says the trip to Mexico was to her, like a trip to two Old World cities - which ones?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the underlying message to Augusta in Susan's letter from Mexico?

2. Why is the job offer from US Geological Survey a mixed blessing?

3. Why is Susan embarrassed for Oliver during the preparations of leaving for the mine in Mexico?

4. Why did Susan send Ollie away?

5. How does Shelley's reading of the manifesto bring the reader back to the present day of Lyman's 1970?

6. Do the Wards reach an angle of repose during this period? What is threatening to cause that balance to shift?

7. What happens between Frank and Susan on the evening of July 4th?

8. How does Oliver try to make a home welcome for Susan when the two of them are reunited in Idaho?

9. How does Oliver disappoint Susan and embarrass her to her family and friends?

10. How has the Wards' life changed, and how has it stayed the same?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does this author use symbolism in the novel? Give specific examples.

Essay Topic 2

Which is better: to be creative and imaginative like Susan or handy and methodical like Oliver? Why? Prepare to defend these answers in a presentation to the class.

Essay Topic 3

How does Susan maintain her genteel style of living even in the wild west? Give specific examples and why these items or styles were important to maintain the gentility.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 709 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample