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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. How is Billy's horse wounded in the encounter with some rogue riders?

2. Where does Billy cross the border back into the United States?

3. What drink does the Mexican man refuse to drink?

4. What does Billy learn when he returns to the home of the doctor?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the altercation Billy has with some bandits as he travels with Boyd's body.

2. What do Billy and Boyd do when they find some of the horses that were stolen from their ranch?

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

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

5. What obstacles does Billy have when he tries to enlist in the army?

6. How does Billy finally obtain papers of ownership for the stolen horses?

7. How do Billy, Boyd and the young girl survive over the next few days and what is their ultimate arrangement?

8. How can Boyd's emerging folk hero status be considered a form of foreshadowing?

9. What is Boyd's condition when Billy returns to get him at the Munoz farm?

10. With what group does Billy find work and what does he do with his first paycheck?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

McCarthy uses more than one instance of irony in the story. Cite at least two other examples you can identify in the story and note why they are examples of irony. What is the major irony in the story? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the significance of the novel's title. What did the author mean by calling the book THE CROSSING? Cite an example to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Project into the future ten years and write a brief synopsis for Billy's life. Be sure to include emotional states as well as physical characteristics, geographic locations, work, hobbies, socialization, etc.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,262 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample