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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. How does Captain Kidd characterize the white man’s world he wants to protect Johanna in?

2. What does the U.S. Army Sergeant do, when the people of Durand start to fight during Captain Kidd’s reading?

3. How does Captain Kidd sleep after the shootout at Carlyle Springs?

4. What does Johanna sing to herself, when she sits with Captain Kidd and her aunt and uncle in Chapter 20?

5. How does Almay refer to the bird shot Captain Kidd shoots at him?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who are the four men Captain Kidd and Johanna meet on the road to Lampasas, and what warning do they give Captain Kidd and Johanna?

2. Who helps Captain Kidd collect his dimes when the fight moves outside from the mercantile in Durand?

3. What is Captain Kidd nervous about now that the Almay and the Caddos have been defeated?

4. What kind of appearance do the Horrell brothers make before Captain Kidd and Johanna?

5. How does Johanna react to her return to family?

6. How do Wilhelm and Anna expect to bring Johanna back into the routine of civilized life?

7. What is it that divides the crowd Captain Kidd reads to in the mercantile in Durand?

8. What does Captain Kidd do now that he has returned Johanna to her family?

9. After the battle with Almay and the Caddos, what does Captain Kidd tell himself the meaning of life is?

10. Why is Captain Kidd cautious about reading from the Inquirer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Evaluate the ending of News of the World. Does it ring true to you? Does it successfully resolve the problems and tensions that preceded it? What would you change, if anything? What are you left wishing for closure on, if anything?

Essay Topic 2

What is the role of women in News of the World? How is the difference between men’s worlds and women’s worlds described? How does that definition change according to geography or frontier? What kind of woman will Johanna grow up to be?

Essay Topic 3

Where do you see the story line of News of the World taking place in today’s culture? Are there parallels between Captain Kidd and Johanna and people today? What is the closest film or book or news story to the events represented here? How has the story changed? How has it remained the same?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,059 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample