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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. The man who crossed the canyon after four days encountered a man with a body covered in ____________.

2. Napoleon Kills-in-the-_____________ is another of the men at the prayer meeting.

3. What was the small snare trap made out of?

4. What is caught in a small snare trap that the old man has set at the beginning of the story?

5. What did the man who was sent off by the Kiowas trying to look for?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Tosamah have to do in order to reach the grave of his grandmother when he went out to visit her?

2. What happened between Abel and the daughter of Medina in January of 1937?

3. What were some of the things the sun could teach the grandsons about, according to Francisco?

4. What did Francisco tell Abel about the area across the Arroyo Bajo to the edge of the red rock that looked out over the plain?

5. What did Abel do in response to Tosamah's insults during the card game they shared after a 12-hour shift?

6. What is in the trap that Francisco set a long time ago at the opening of the book?

7. What were some of the ways Tosamah insulted Abel, even though he did not do so directly?

8. Describe the character of Nicolas teach-whau - who was this women to Abel in this story?

9. What happens when Abel sings and calls out during one of the rain retreats, according to his memory?

10. Who went up to the hill to get drunk the night before Abel left for the bus station?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The scene in which Abel kills the albino seems to be a striking and yet understandable scene.

Part 1: Why do you think Abel decided to kill the albino?

Part 2: How do you think Abel felt about killing the albino?

Part 3: What is the potential symbolism of this scene? What might it represent in terms of race relations, for example?

Essay Topic 2

The memories that flood back into Abel's mind give the reader a sense of who he was when he was younger, but also a sense of who is is in the present day.

Part 1: Why do you think Momaday decided to write about Abel through the memories he has?

Part 2: Why are memories a good way to get to know someone?

Part 3: Do you think the story would have been stronger if the life story of Abel had been told in a more conventional way? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

There are vast differences between the older and the newer generations of Native Americans in this story.

Part 1: Compare and contrast the older and newer generations of Native Americans in this story.

Part 2: Do you think the newer generation of Native Americans is hopeful? Why or why not?

Part 3: What does Momaday seem to be saying for the future of Native Americans?

(see the answer keys)

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