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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 are the townspeople trying to get out of town?

2. Who was the traitor who told Burton and Devlin about the miracle elixir?

3. Do the townspeople make enough money from their elixir to buy the land they want?

4. Where is the land auction held?

5. What controversial location does Shady suggest for mixing the liquids?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Hattie Mae convey to Abilene about Gideon?

2. What does the man from the government who comes to Shady's bar do while he's there?

3. Where in the classroom do the girls find Stucky's writing?

4. What are the obstacles to the townspeople buying the property that Devlin wants?

5. What does Miss Sadie tell Abilene about the Widow Cane property?

6. What role does Abilene take on at the end of the novel?

7. How do Jinx and Shady sell their miracle elixir?

8. What does Ned hope the people in the town are doing, in his letter home?

9. What does Shady do while the liquids are being mixed for Jinx's mixture?

10. Why do Abilene and her friends decide to organize another Annual Homecoming Celebration?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss proving yourself to others in the novel.

1) Why does Ned go off to war? Why does he need to prove himself?

2) How do the characters in the town prove themselves to others, so that the town can cooperate?

3) How does Jinx prove himself to others in the town? How does he see himself, compared to how others see him?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the unknown, fear, and mistrust in the novel.

1) How does fear of the unknown affect the townspeople's views of others from different cultures? How does it affect the townspeople's view of Miss Sadie in both time periods?

2) What causes mistrust in the town? Who does mistrust hurt and benefit?

3) How does Abilene view the unknown? How is her attitude different from others in the town?

Essay Topic 3

Jinx uses trickery and deception to help himself and the town. Discuss trickery and deception in the novel.

1) How do characters like Devlin, Jinx, and Abilene use trickery and deception for their own means? What makes some uses of trickery positive in the novel, while other uses are negative?

2) How does the town use trickery and deception? Why are these means necessary to counter Devlin? Are these means justified?

3) What is the author's perspective on trickery and deception?

(see the answer keys)

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