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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who else would wear boots like Scratchy's ?
(a) Army boys.
(b) Sledding boys.
(c) Railroad men.
(d) Other gunfighters.

2. When do Jack and his wife encounter Scratchy?
(a) As they round the corner toward their house.
(b) Stepping off the train.
(c) At the train station.
(d) As they walk down main street.

3. What does Scratchy do to scare the dog?
(a) Shoots out the bar windows.
(b) Shoots at the ground near him.
(c) Kicks him.
(d) Shoots an arrow near him.

4. When nobody appears at Jack's house to fight, what is Scratchy's reaction?
(a) He is relieved.
(b) He is enraged.
(c) He is happy.
(d) He is tired.

5. Why does Jack not have gun?
(a) He felt wrong to wear them in church.
(b) He could not get through security with a gun.
(c) He was just married in San Antonio.
(d) His guns are in his luggage.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Scratchy do when he arrives at Jack's house?

2. What is the barkeeper's dog doing when Scratchy approaches?

3. What is the color of the tops of Scratchy's boots?

4. What does Scratchy say when Jack tells him of his morning?

5. Where does the dog go to avoid Scratchy?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Scratchy react to the closed door of the Weary Gentleman? Is this a ritual? Has this happened before?

2. What is the dog a symbol of? What is the dog supposed to be in this story?

3. The author alludes to fighting 200 Mexicans. What does this tell us about the history of Yellow Sky?

4. When Scratchy says, "there ain't a man his Texas that don't have a gun" do you think that's true? Think back to the scene in the bar. Did everyone have a gun?

5. How does the author describe the gunman's anger? Describe the muscles in his neck. What are they doing? How does he look?

6. When Jack encounters Scratchy, does he show fear? Why do you think that?

7. Why would Jack not carry a gun on the day he is married?

8. Why does the couple walk quickly to get to Jack's house? What are they afraid of? If they had not been so afraid, could they have avoided trouble?

9. Judging from Scratchy's question about Sunday School, do you think men in Yellow Sky carry guns to church?

10. The author writes that Jack's house looks at Scratchy like a great stone god. What is the symbolism of this?

(see the answer keys)

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