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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. Where did Diamond work for a day while in high school?

2. How many children did the Tinsleys have following the death of their daughter?

3. Whom does Diamond's mother take him to meet?

4. What did Mero remember from the caves in The Half-Skinned Steer?

5. Where does Leeland Lee go to work after having to quit because of the fight with the foreman?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the theme of Job History? How does the ending of the story indicate this?

2. Why did the Tinsleys' son come home in People in Hell Just Want a Drink of Water?

3. What is Diamond's reaction to his mother's attempt to change his mind in The Mud Below?

4. Describe the narrative of Job History. What is the voice? What is the subject of the story?

5. What does Leeland Lee do after returning from the army in Job History?

6. What is Leeland Lee's job after the feed store fails? What happens there?

7. Describe the Dunmire family in People in Hell Just Want a Drink of Water.

8. What does Mr. Tinsley do to help his son after his return? What did the Tinsleys hear as a result?

9. What happens as Mero progresses along his drive in The Half-Skinned Steer?

10. What happens when the rancher awakes in The Blood Bay? What is his reaction to the scene?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the narrative style of A Lonely Coast. How is the narrative point of view in this short story different from the others? What effect does this have?

Essay Topic 2

Compare the Tinsley family and the Dunmire family in People in Hell Just Want a Drink of Water. How have their experiences in Wyoming differed? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the characters of the narrator and Josanna in A Lonely Coast. What in their past ties these women together? Why?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 892 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample