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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. Who does John Grady ask to let him use a house they own for him and Magdalena?

2. What does Mac say he has been forced to do that he wishes he had not after returning to the ranch after the horse auction?

3. How old does Magdalena tell John Grady she was when she was first sold as a young girl?

4. Why does John Grady not go to Magdalena at the White Lake at the beginning of Chapter 2?

5. What is the name of the man the men at Mac's ranch have a rivalry with?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Magdalena tell John Grady she came to be a whore?

2. How is the cowboy's dog hunt for mountain lions described in the book?

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

4. How does John Grady come to secure a home for he and Magdalena?

5. How does Billy tease John Grady after he stays up all night trying to tame a wild horse?

6. How does John Grady react when a man offers him work after helping him identify a lame horse?

7. How does Mac choose his horses at the auction he attends in Chapter 2?

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

9. How does John Grady tell Mac he knew a man's horse was lame when he brought it to them?

10. What does John Grady do when he finds Mr. Johnson wandering around in the middle of the night in Chapter 2?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The presence of violence plays an important role in the book and allows the author to display excellent visual portrayals. Part 1.) What might the author wish to show about the nature of his characters based on the numerous acts of violence portrayed throughout the book? Part 2.) How does the author make use of visual imagery in his writing more during violent scenes than in others, and what purpose might he have for using this method? Part 3.) What can we learn about the nature of Billy's character based on his tendency to stay away from violent acts although often having experience with them?

Essay Topic 2

Horses play a starring role in many parts of the book and allow the reader to better understand the book's characters based on their treatment of these animals. Part 1.) What do horses appear to mean and represent to the cowboys in the book, and what role do they play in their everyday life? Part 2.) Considering this role, what can we learn about John Grady's motivations when he decides to sell his horse in order to marry Magdalena? Part 3.) How does the author use horses as a way of judging the character of the cowboys?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the concept of dreams that is presented in various parts of the book, namely through John Grady and Billy. What might the author wish for the dreams portrayed in the book to symbolize and even explain about the characters that have them or are involved in them?

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