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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. What do Billie Jo and Daddy encounter on the way to a funeral?

2. Which of the following does the piano not represent for Billie Jo?

3. What is Louise's best domestic skill?

4. What does Doc Rice tell Billie Jo to do with her hands?

5. What does Daddy reveal to Billie Jo?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Louise?

2. How does Billie Jo attempt to escape her life and the dust?

3. How does Billie Jo block Louise's entry into a part of their lives?

4. How did Billie Jo's time away change the relationship between her and her father?

5. How does the lack of a mother make Billie Jo unsure of how to manage her feelings about Mad Dog?

6. Who is Joe De La Flor and what hardship does he face regarding his cattle?

7. Explain Billie Jo's cautious optimism where Louise is concerned.

8. What immediate plans to Billie Jo and Daddy make to begin healing?

9. What news does Mad Dog come to deliver to Billie Jo?

10. For what things is Billie Jo thankful on this Thanksgiving?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who is Louise and what is her role in the family? Is Billie Jo right to be cautiously optimistic about Louise's presence in her life? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Who is Mad Dog and what role does he play in Billie Jo's life as the story extends? Cite examples to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

The dust takes on an almost human persona in this story. What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

(see the answer keys)

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