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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. What kind of saddle does Magpie own?

2. What does Brennan's mother tell him in Chapter 4 when he arrives home?

3. How does the raiding party keep its horses quiet?

4. What does Brennan's hobby do for him?

5. Where does Coyote Runs' tribe occasionally get beef?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Coyote Runs go after Magpie is shot, what has happened to him and his horse? How does that affect what he does?

2. How does the soldier find Coyote Runs and what happens when he finds Coyote Runs?

3. What kind of gun does Coyote Runs have and what will he be doing with the people in question #6?

4. What does Coyote Runs learn he will be doing soon and which of his friends will be doing it also?

5. Who does Coyote Runs' group encounter as they are heading to their destination, and how do they handle that encounter?

6. What does Brennan suggest at the camp site to settle the children?

7. What does Brennan notice as he is arriving at his house in Chapter 2?

8. Why is Brennan annoyed while riding in the van? How does he feel about being there?

9. What kind of school and where is it that Coyote Runs attended and who attended with him?

10. Why does Brennan work and for whom does he work?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Coyote Runs is shot and killed by a white soldier who jokes as he shoots a fourteen-year-old boy in the head. Discuss the following:

1. How do the circumstances demonstrate the tendency of people to dehumanize an enemy? Use examples from Canyons and from other sources to support your answer.

2. Describe ways in which prejudice contributed to Coyote Runs' death.

3. Discuss the ways in which Coyote Runs thoughts demonstrated his prejudice against white people.

Essay Topic 2

Brennan learns that the skull was murdered at close contact with a large rifle, a shot that was clearly murder.

1. Defend or refute the above statement. Was the killing of Coyote Runs murder or the carrying out of a soldier's duties?

2. During the course of any war there are soldiers who kill those who are not armed combatants. These killings are considered a war crime. Most soldiers charged with war crimes use the defense of following orders. Discuss under what circumstances you believe a soldier should refuse a direct order.

3, Discuss the possible reasons the soldier had for killing Coyote Runs. The obvious one is prejudice but there may be many emotional, physical, cultural and mental causes.

Essay Topic 3

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of Canyons.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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