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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. Why is California such an appealing place to Martha? Choose the best answer.

2. What does Nash request assistance from Edward for?

3. Who is Martha's first husband?

4. Who is the most successful missionary sent to Africa in this story?

5. When was Edward Williams born?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Martha pay for her passage to California?

2. How did Chester acquire his home?

3. What is the Voice of Africa?

4. What happens to Martha's boyfriend?

5. What happens to most of the letters that Nash Williams writes to Edward Wiliams?

6. What spurs Edward Williams to go to Africa?

7. In "West," who finds Martha in Denver, and what does this person do for her?

8. Where does Nash Williams settle in his second year in Africa in "The Pagan Coast"?

9. When and where was the last time Martha saw her husband and daughter?

10. Describe the plantation that Edward Williams owns.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

While the first two stories in Crossing the River showed struggle more from the perspective of black characters who were victims of a cruel society that endorsed slavery, "Crossing the River" is told wholly from the perspective of a white captain who promotes slavery through trade. Describe his beliefs and how he reconciles them with the immoral profession he endorses and takes part in. What is "commercial detachment," and what does Captain Hamilton think of it?

Essay Topic 2

In "The Pagan Coast," setting is a prominent character in the same way that war is a prominent character in "Somewhere in England." How does setting play a role in "The Pagan Coast," and how does Liberia change in the eyes of the characters throughout the story? What did it represent in the beginning, and what did it represent in the end? How does war play a role in "Somewhere in England"? Describe how these unconventional characters (setting and war) play such significant roles in these stories? How do they influence their respective characters?

Essay Topic 3

In "Somewhere in England," there are various characters with their own different backgrounds, goals, and ideas. Joyce is first married to an Englishman and then has an interracial relationship. How does Joyce's marriage to Len contrast with her relationship with Travis? How are these relationships different in the eyes of society? Which do they scrutinize more and why? Make sure you answer each question thoroughly, using examples to support your answer.

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This section contains 709 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample