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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. Who ran the school Coyote Runs attended?

3. How does Coyote Runs think he must be on his quest to be a man?

4. What does Coyote Runs almost do after the raid?

5. What does the soldier who shoots Coyote Runs do as he pulls the trigger?

Short Essay Questions

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

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 happens to the group of warriors the day after the raid?

5. What is Coyote Runs told to do on the raid?

6. How close is Brennan and his father and what happens that hurts his mother?

7. What does Coyote Runs believe about him and bullets and what does he do after catching up with the rest of the raiding party?

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

9. What happens to Coyote Runs in the chaos after the raid?

10. How does Brennan feel about the person driving the van and how does he feel about the kids in it by the time they arrive?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Brennan's mother has found the skull and called the police, taking the power of choice out of Brennan's hands. Brennan runs away and takes the skull back to the canyon.

1. Why do you think Brennan's mother called the police? Do you think this was a good decision on her part? Why or why not?

2. The above statement says that the call to the police took away Brennan's power of choice. Do you believe this is true? Why or why not?

3. Do you think Brennan was right to run away? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character, wondering if they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Canyons help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Canyons? Why or why not?

3. Choose one specific incident in Canyons to discuss and compare Brennan's response to how you think you would respond.

Essay Topic 3

Brennan worries about his mother being hurt by the men in her life.

1. With research, define the term, co-dependent and discuss whether the term could be applied to Brennan in relation to his mother.

2. Do you think a fourteen-year-old boy would notice some of his mother's feelings Brennan seems to understand in this book? Why or why not?

3. In relation to Brennan and his mother, does Brennan seem to be more the adult than his mother? Why or why not? Use examples from Canyons to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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