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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. Thunderstorms come to the high desert in

2. Abbey is paid a visit by

3. The prickly pear cactus and its blossom exemplifies the

4. Edward attaches a red bandanna to a ridgepole in honor of

5. A medicinal property of the buckbrush is that of

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Viviano Jacquez's problem?

2. Discuss Abbey's relationship with the natural world as he watches the stars.

3. For what does the author seem to be searching by taking this job?

4. Explain why many of the petroglyphs are found in caves too high for us to reach.

5. How does Abbey get rid of the rattlesnakes?

6. Why would the obsidian shards be named "Apache tears?"

7. How were the Park Service rules ambiguous as they were written in 1916?

8. What concession does Abbey make to man's ingenuity when it comes to life in the desert?

9. Why does Abbey's watch seem absurd to him?

10. Discuss how different the daily life of an pre-Columbian Native American was, as compared to the daily life of an American now.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Desert Solitaire was first written in 1956, and reprinted several times after that. Abbey obviously added some text over time. Do a close reading of the section where Abbey describes the experience of noontime in the desert as a psychedelic experience. Are you able to "feel" and understand what he is trying to say? Is he, perhaps, suffering from heat stroke at that time, or is he disoriented. Discuss in your essay the kinds of literary tools Abbey uses to help us experience his story.

Essay Topic 2

Write a researched essay on the current state of the Arches. Has it been mined, drilled, dammed and cemented over, as Abbey dreaded and anticipated? Research, describe and evaluate the changes, and determine whether you feel they have improved the park. Explain your position.

Essay Topic 3

Consider the time(s) in history that this book was written. By the time of the last printing of this story, what had happened that had exposed, particularly to Americans, the true nature of the rat race we had created? Would this book have been more important if it had been written during another era? Would it have been given more attention by reviewers and critics if it had been written in this decade? Be sure to read Abbey's Preface to learn about how the book was received.

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This section contains 992 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample