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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 joins the Wards in the irrigation project as an employee?

2. How long have the Wards been working on the irrigation project?

3. How old is Shelley in this chapter?

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

5. Why does the Ward family have to move from Boise into the canyon?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the author end the story with Lyman's thoughts?

2. Why does Frank commit suicide?

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

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

5. Why does Lyman feel more depressed than interested at this point in his writing work ?

6. What is the theme of this chapter?

7. Why did Susan send Ollie away?

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

9. Why doesn't Susan leave with Frank?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why is Lyman intent on staying independent?

Essay Topic 2

Could Susan have been a mining engineer? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

What are Susan's qualities that make her a strong western woman? Give examples of each quality.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 610 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample