View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who has never been on a train before?
(a) The bride.
(b) The groom.
(c) The porter.
(d) The judge.

2. What time is it when the bride looks at her pocket watch?
(a) 6:50 p.m.
(b) 12:16 p.m.
(c) 3:45 p.m.
(d) 12:17 p.m.

3. What is the drummer doing?
(a) Practicing his shooting.
(b) Drinking too much.
(c) Telling a story.
(d) Playing cards.

4. As Scratchy is approaching the bar, one man in the bar wishes Jack were home. How does he express that?
(a) "He would end this once and for all."
(b) "He would call him outside and take care of this."
(c) "He would nail Scratchy to the wall."
(d) "He would sail in and pull out the kinks in this thing."

5. What can be seen beyond the Rio Grande?
(a) Yellow rocks.
(b) The mountains.
(c) The river basin.
(d) Plum colored mesquite.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does the dog keep lazy watch?

2. Who sold the groom the pocket watch?

3. What does the couple do when they exit the train?

4. What did the couple do before boarding the train?

5. How does the porter view the couple on the train?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Jack once do to Scratchy? Why is this important to the story? Do these men really feel that they cannot handle the situation without Jack, or do they just not want to?

2. Jack shows his new bride the train with the pride of an owner. He lavishes expensive (for them) meals upon her. What does this tell us about their relationship and their future marriage?

3. What do the fittings on the train symbolize for the couple?

4. Explain the significance of the character of the drummer?

5. What is Scratchy known for? What is his past?

6. Why does the author say the bride has cooked before? What gives the reader the clue to her background?

7. What is the drummer talking about at the opening of Chapter 3? What story is he telling? Do you think he does this often? Do you think he's told this story before? Why? Why not?

8. The author describes the grassy plots across the street from the bar as looking like grass on a stage. What does this tell the reader about the times and entertainment?

9. Why do all the men in the bar want to see Jack? What can he do that they can't? It appears nobody is really going to fight? Is there a real danger here?

10. What is the symbolism of Jack's "brick colored" hands? What does this tell the reader about Jack?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,072 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample