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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. During the ladies' choice dance on the Fourth of July, who does Jick's mother choose?

2. As described in Part 1, Alec is employed by whom?

3. Early in "English Creek," what task do Jick and his father set out to do?

4. Who is injured during the rodeo?

5. During Lisabeth's wagon trip as a child, where did she and her family sleep?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mac's square dance calling compare with that of Jerome, the main caller?

2. When Jick rides alone to check on Walter Kyle's ranch early in Part 1, what thoughts does he have about women in general?

3. In Part 1, why is Jick so upset when his father accidentally calls him "Alec?"

4. What announcement by Jick's brother, Alec, early in Part 1, shatters the McCaskill family?

5. During the square dance after the rodeo, how does Jick imagine his parents?

6. Why does Ed say his main memory of fighting in France is shaving?

7. What foods do Jick and his family enjoy at the Fourth of July Picnic?

8. How does the appearance of Velma affect Jick, when she arrives at the rodeo?

9. Why are eighteen of the sheep in the care of Canada Dan dead, and what work is Jick required to do as a result?

10. After reading a story in the local paper, why is Jick so interested in the details of a wagon trip his mother took with her family twenty-five years prior?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"English Creek" features many forms of evil, including greed, drunkenness, disrespect of family, and the wrath of nature. Compare and contrast these forms of evil depicted in the novel, and discuss how protagonists reacted to or fought against these evils.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the role of alcoholism and alcohol consumption in "English Creek." Minus the alcohol, could the story have unfolded in the same way? What seems to be Doig's attitude toward alcohol?

Essay Topic 3

In the tradition of Twain, Doig uses colorful turns of phrase and slang to imbue his characters with personality. Compare and contrast the speech patterns of several characters in "English Creek." Explain what the characters' speech patterns reveal about their past, education level, and/or personality.

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This section contains 746 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample