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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. When does Lalo retire and close his bar?

2. What does Josiah ride when he is cutting cattle out on a deal with Ulibarri?

3. What was the blond girl on the calendar in the store holding in her hand?

4. Into what mountains does Tayo, the medicine man, and Shush ride?

5. What do Robert and Tayo take to Pinkie out at the sheep camp?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ku'oosh talk to Tayo about?

2. What happens to Tayo after he attacks Emo?

3. How does Rocky and Auntie feel about Josiah’s decision on how to take care of the cattle?

4. What does Tayo find out when he returns to his family?

5. Why does Tayo feel guilty about Josiah?

6. What does Tayo’s mother do with him when he is four?

7. How does Tayo start herding the cattle?

8. What does Tayo think about the cattle in the book compared to his uncle’s cattle?

9. What are Tayo’s symptoms after he leaves the hospital and how does a Japanese person help him?

10. How does Rocky’s mother feel about him going off to war and what does Tayo tell her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and discuss what you think are the characteristics of a successful novel and why Ceremony is or is not a successful novel based on your criteria. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults?

Essay Topic 2

Ceremony belongs to the Native American fiction genre.

Define the literary term "genre" and name three other genres in addition to the Native American fiction genre. What are the advantages and disadvantages of assigning a genre to a novel? What do you think is the difference between a Native American fiction and a science fiction novel or a mystery?

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two.

What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven or action driven? Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why? Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character are developed to the same degree? Why or why not? What type of plot do you think Ceremony is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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