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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. Who is Traci?

2. What has Willa shot?

3. What interrupts Tess and Lily arguing about returning to the ranch?

4. Where do Nate and Tess make love?

5. What do Willa and Ben find after dressing the game?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Tess, Lily and Adam ride out in the snow, what do they see, why do they argue, and what interrupts their argument?

2. What does Lily tell Adam about her life?

3. What does Willa realize when her sisters tell her they are staying after Pickles was murdered?

4. What do Willa and Ben find the day after the funeral, how do they find it, and what do they do about it?

5. What is found at the foot of Willa's porch after the New Year's Eve party is over? What is done about it?

6. What do Nate, Adam and Ben do after the party and the discovery outside?

7. What does Tess decide to do about Nate's Christmas present and how does Willa feel about that?

8. How does Jesse Cooke feel about what is happening at the Mercy ranch and what does he plan to do?

9. What does the will say about the ranch?

10. With whom does Willa meet to make sure she is adhering to the rules of the will, what does Willa tell them, and what do they think about her ideas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Nate is working up to proposing marriage to Tess and after his proposal, he lists the advantages of such a union. Discuss the following:

1. List three criteria which you believe are essential for a good marriage. Discuss why you choose those three and then discuss if you believe Tess and Nate's relationship possesses those qualities. Use examples from the text.

2. List three criteria which you believe make a successful marriage impossible. Discuss why you choose those three and then discuss if you believe Tess and Nate's relationship possesses those qualities. Use examples from Montana Sky.

3. Using the three criteria which you list for both a successful marriage and those which would greatly hinder a successful marriage, argue whether or not you believe Tess and Nate's marriage will be successful or a failure based upon the six criteria you cited.

Essay Topic 2

The main antagonist in Montana Sky is Jim Brewster, a man who has discovered he likes to kill animals and later people. The secondary protagonist is Jesse Cooke, a man who abused his wife.

1. With research, discuss whether someone like Jim Brewster should be considered innocent by reason of insanity. Use examples from Montana Sky to support your answer.

2. With research, discuss the difference in crimes committed by males versus females.

3. In your opinion, discuss why you think most violent crimes are committed by men and what is the difference between men and women that causes this phenomena.

Essay Topic 3

Roberts chooses to write the novel as a third person, impersonal narrator. Discuss the following:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of Montana Sky being written in the third person, impersonal narration?

2. Do you think the novel would be more effective in a different point of view? Which one if so? If not why do you think the impersonal narrator works the best?

3. Do you think the narrator in Montana Skya is reliable, i.e., do you believe the narrator is completely unbiased? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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