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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. When Pahom "inquired" how to find the Bashkirs, what did he do?

2. What does Pahom tell the Bashkirs is wrong with the land where he comes from?

3. What does the trader tell Pahom about the Bashkirs?

4. What is surprising about the chief of the Bashkirs?

5. How far does Pahom travel to find the Bashkirs?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Pahom and his family arrive in the new settlement beyond the Volga, what does he do first, and what is the result?

2. After the chief offers Pahom land, how does Pahom respond, and why?

3. What deal does the traveling dealer tell Pahom he was able to get on land from the Bashkir?

4. When Pahom asks the Bashkirs for some land, what is their response?

5. What causes Pahom to become dissatisfied with his situation in the new settlement?

6. What procedure do the Bashkirs outline for marking the land that Pahom claims?

7. How does the text contrast the life of the Bashkirs with the life of Russian peasants, and what is ironic in this description?

8. What is the response of the Bashkirs to Pahom's arrival?

9. What is the price of the land the Bashkirs offer Pahom, and how much land do they offer?

10. What deal does Pahom strike to buy some land of his own in the settlement beyond the Volga?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What do you think of the relationship between the two sisters? Does it seem healthy? What might be the cause of the older sister trying to make her younger sister feel bad about her life? How does this tie into the theme of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Explain several ways in which Pahom alienates his community.

Essay Topic 3

How is Pahom's fate related to his class and circumstances? How is it related to his individual character? Write an essay that take a position on what factor is most responsible for his fate, and why.

(see the answer keys)

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