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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 caused Ruby to spend the night in the woods when she is only four?

2. Why does Inman believe the person he sees at Deep River is up to no good?

3. Who is Swimmer and why does Inman think about him after reading the news?

4. Who is the woman named Laura that Inman meets in the chapter, Life Any Other Thing, a Gift?

5. What does Veasey believe they should do with the saw?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do three men attack Inman outside a settlement where he stops to get supplies?

2. What did Inman find on the battlefield that he kept hidden throughout his medical ordeal?

3. Inman comes across a preacher in the middle of the night. What does Inman stop the preacher from doing?

4. Who comes to the scene Ada and Ruby are watching?

5. To whom does Junior sell Inman and Veasey for $5 a head?

6. Who does Inman dream about after seeing a dark-haired girl riding a horse?

7. What happened to Ruby when she was only four?

8. In what city was Ada raised and educated?

9. What does Ruby believe is a waste of time?

10. What does Ruby instruct Ada to create?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Stobrod begin caring for the simple-minded man who joins the deserters? What does Stobrod hope to gain from this friendship? How does this friendship between her father and the simple man affect Ruby? What does this friendship say about Stobrod's character? Does this friendship show a change in Stobrod's character? How?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss setting. What is significant about Cold Mountain? Why did the author chose to set his novel in this place? How do the lives of the people indigent to this area affect the plot? There are a lot of Indian legends in this area. How do those legends affect the developing plot? How would the novel be different without these legends?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss morality. Veasey is a preacher, but he appears to have no morals when it comes to sex and women. Why does Veasey begin a relationship with Laura when he is engaged to another woman? Why does Veasey want to kill Laura? Why does Inman not allow this murder? Why does Veasey later get into a fight with a prostitute over money? What do these actions say about Veasey's morals?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 798 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample