View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the name of Billy's brother that died in the war?

2. Whose brother died in the war in the book?

3. What part of the car is damaged when Billy hits a bird in Chapter 1?

4. What does Billy address Eduardo as when he goes to see him at the White Lake for the first time?

5. Which of the following men are not present at the whorehouse at the beginning of the book?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mr. Johnson describe a stampede he once dealt with to John Grady in Chapter 2?

2. How is John Grady's attempts at taming a wild horse at the beginning of the book described?

3. What happens when a man brings his horse to be trained at Mac's ranch in Chapter 1?

4. What happens when Troy and Billy pass a group of Mexicans broken down on the side of the road?

5. What is the nature of Mac's thoughts after attending the horse auction in Chapter 2?

6. How is John Grady and Mac's game of chess described in Chapter 1?

7. How is Billy able to speak with Eduardo for the first time in the book?

8. What is the nature of Billy and John Grady's conversation regarding Mr. Johnson in Chapter 2?

9. What is the nature of the conversation John Grady has with a blind man at the end of Chapter 1?

10. How is John Grady able to find the location of the young Mexican girl he first saw at the beginning of the book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the concept of work ethic that is presented in the book. What can we learn about the nature of John Grady's character based on his incredible work ethic, both positively and negatively? How might his work ethic have played a role in his eventual demise?

Essay Topic 2

Death is one of the central themes discussed in the book. Part 1.) How does the author address the experience of one's spouse dying through characters like Mac and John Grady, and what purpose might he have for doing this? Part 2.) Why does John Grady willingly fight Eduardo to the death after Magdalena's murder, is this somehow an ironic response? Part 3.) What impact does death appear to have for Billy by the end of the book?

Essay Topic 3

The presence of God is found in many parts of the book and is discussed by several characters including John Grady, Magdalena and Eduardo. Part 1.) What role does God appear to play in Magdalena's mindset throughout the book, and what can we learn about the nature of her character based on her religious practices? Part 2.) What can we learn about Eduardo's true nature based on his and Magdalena's conversations regarding God and prayer? Part 3.) What might the author be saying about God based on the outcome for book's more religious characters like Magdalena, Eduardo and John Grady?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 869 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample