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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 claims the fattest puppy of the litter after they are saved on the mesa?

2. Who tells Billy that John Grady is a suspect in Magdalena's muder?

3. What does Billy go to retrieve for John Grady only to find him dead upon his return?

4. What happens to an animal two cowboys catch with separate ropes in Chapter 3?

5. Where does John Grady fall asleep after running away after murdering Eduardo?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the cowboys inadvertently break the necks of some wild dogs they track in Chapter 3?

2. How does Billy survive when he travels to New Mexico in the epilogue?

3. What is the nature of the information John Grady tells Billy just before he dies?

4. How is the dream of a stranger described to Billy in the epilogue?

5. How does Magdalena end up in a hospital?

6. How does Magdalena react when a woman offers to help her after she escapes from the hospital?

7. What happens when Magdalena has a seizure while she is with a client in Chapter 3?

8. How is Billy described when he is first seen in 2002?

9. How does John Grady discover that Magdalena has died?

10. How is Eduardo killed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the concept of compassion that is presented in the book. What can we learn about the nature of characters like Billy based on his consistent acts of compassion towards his friends, family and even strangers?

Essay Topic 2

The nature of reality is analyzed throughout the book and is the central theme presented by the author in the book. Part 1.) What elements does the author use to create a realistic portrayal of the characters in the book and the experiences they have, and are they successful? Part 2.) What personal details and emotions are we able to feel towards the characters based on the elements of reality used by the author? Part 3.) How does the author bring reality into perspective when Billy is given a second chance at the end of the book?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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