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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 was June's mother's name?

2. In what city did Johnny first meet the Carters?

3. How did the person in #106 die?

4. What was the name of the camper Johnny used to get away sometimes?

5. Which news broadcaster did Johnny snarl at in an interview prior to a Carnegie Hall concert?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where had Johnny gone to commit suicide and what made him change his mind?

2. What did Johnny say about meeting four U.S. Presidents?

3. What was Johnny's work related to discriminated groups such as Native Americans and prisoners?

4. Who was Rick Rubin and what was his collaboration with Johnny?

5. What was the "Chicken in Black" and how did it fit into Johnny's failing record career?

6. How long had the Carter family been playing together and what was their code about playing without the others?

7. What did Johnny say about his first wife, Vivian's, opinion of his musician's lifestyle?

8. What did Johnny do on stage during a concert he played with June Carter in 1961 and what was the state of their relationship after that?

9. What did Johnny say about the decades of highs and lows in his career?

10. What were the two events that included fire and explosions that could have ended Johnny's life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the book. Why would musicians have a lonely life even though it may have seemed exciting and glamorous to other people? Why would Vivian have had an especially lonely life being the wife of Johnny Cash? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the cultural climate in America in the mid 1950s and why the time was right for Johnny's music to emerge. What were the trends in America at the time? How did Johnny differentiate himself from other young musicians coming out onto the music scene at that time?

Essay Topic 3

What impact did Johnny's estranged relationship with his father have on Johnny's life? What emotional wounds did Johnny suffer? How did the rejection by his father impact Johnny's relationships with other people? State your opinion.

(see the answer keys)

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