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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 does the border guard tell Billy when he crosses back into the U.S.?

2. The young girl tells Billy that her grandmother had been married and widowed __________ times by the age of 20.

3. Where does Billy work to earn enough money to get bus fare?

4. What does the animal represent for Billy?

5. Where does Billy find shelter from the desert rain one evening?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Billy's jealousy of Boyd's relationship with the girl prompt Billy to tell the girl?

2. What does Billy do when he arrives in Deming and who shows Billy kindness?

3. Where does Billy search for Boyd and what does he learn about his brother?

4. How does the author show what Billy is thinking in this story?

5. What sort of life direction does the border guard give Billy?

6. What does the woman who reads Billy's palm tell him?

7. How does Boyd begin to attain the role of a folk hero?

8. What surprise decision does Boyd make as he is healing?

9. Why does the army recruiter seem to take a special interest in Billy?

10. What name does Billy use when he signs the army enlistment form?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the overall setting for the novel. Why does McCarthy use the setting he does? What is the time period of the story? How important is the time period to the attitudes and issues of the characters?

Essay Topic 2

THE CROSSING is a classic coming of age novel. What does this classification entail? Explain why THE CROSSING fits into this category.

Essay Topic 3

The author uses more than one theme in the novel. Identify at least two themes in the story and then cite an example to support each theme.

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