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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 do the cowboys conclude has been killing on their ranch and must be stopped in Chapter 3?

2. Where is the first bad gash John Grady suffers during the knife fight with Eduardo?

3. What is the name of the cafe John Grady plans for Magdalena to go to in order to escape the White Lake?

4. In the Epilogue, where does Billy sleep when he has a dream?

5. What does Mac give John Grady as a wedding gift for Magdalena?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Eduardo killed?

2. How does John Grady describe Magdalena's escape plan to her?

3. How do John Grady and Billy find a litter of puppies that are trapped on the mesa?

4. What is the nature of the blind man's response to John Grady when he asks him to pray for him?

5. How are Billy's actions described when he goes to the White Lake after Magdalena's death?

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

7. How does Magdalena end up in a hospital?

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

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

10. How are John Grady and Billy able to save the litter of puppies they find trapped on the mesa?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The events of the past play an integral role in the lives of the book's characters for various reasons. Part 1.) What role does the past play in the relationship between John Grady and Mr. Johnson in the book? Part 2.) What purpose might the author have for placing such emphasis on the ways and customs of the past throughout much of the book, what might he be saying about the nature of change and progress based on this portrayal? Part 3.) Given how the book ends, what impact did Billy's experiences in the past impact his actions later in life, namely when he begins working for a family?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Discuss the author's portrayal of the concept of escape in the book. What symbolic meaning might the author wish for Magdalena and John Grady's attempts at escaping their own reality?

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