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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 does William talk with in Charlie's bar in Shreveport, Louisiana?

2. In 1810, who used the Natchez Trace Parkway?

3. Who is Porfirio going to visit in Big Spring, Texas?

4. How long did the Pony Express exist, according to William in Section 5?

5. What state does William meet Bob Andriot, Tony Harkin, and Kirk Littefield in?

Short Essay Questions

1. What causes William to travel across America?

2. What does William tell the reader about the Natchez Trace Parkway?

3. Describe William's dinner at Swamp Guinea's Fish Lodge.

4. What happens when William sleeps in his van on the campus of East Carolina University?

5. How does William describe Johnson City?

6. When does William begin to question his plan to travel across America?

7. What significance does William's trip take on when he reaches Alabama?

8. Who surprises William in Portal Paradise?

9. What is the reaction when William orders a chocolate milkshake near Frenchman, Nevada?

10. Why does William name his van "Ghost Dancing"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss William's journey through New Hampshire and Maine. Do people seem willing to talk to him in this region? How so? What does he learn about small business owners while in these states? Provide specific textual examples to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

What epiphany does William have at the beginning of the book? What personal difficulties is he experiencing when he has this epiphany? What does he hope to achieve by acting on this idea?

Essay Topic 3

Alice Venable Middleton of Smith Island says that she never got her "curiosity cured." Discuss how Alice shows her interest in the world and its changes. Do you agree or disagree that she is the perfect person for William to interview? Provide specific examples to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 788 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample