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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 makes the people of Oklahoma begin to think that the dust plague might be over?

2. Who is James Kingsbury?

3. What does the passenger take from Billie Jo when he leaves?

4. What does Billie Jo place over her nose to prevent breathing in the dust while she's in bed?

5. Where will Billie Jo not allow Louise to go?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the content of the letter Aunt Ellis sends to Billie Jo?

2. What does Billie Jo admit to herself about her mother's death, her father's indifference toward her and her need to escape this life?

3. How does Doc Rice treat both Daddy and Billie Jo?

4. How does Billie Jo finally come to terms with the dust and its full impact on her life?

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

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

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

8. With whom does Billie Jo share a train car for a short while? Explain that experience and what it teaches Billie Jo.

9. How does fire seem to be an ever-present threat in Billie Jo's life?

10. How does Billie Jo assign human characteristics to her piano?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the irony of Billie Jo's piano playing after her hands are burned.

Essay Topic 2

What important life lesson does Billie Jo learn from the man on the train? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

At the end of the story, Louise places a bowl of perfect apples on the shelf. What is the significance of the apples to Billie Jo and to the story overall? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 902 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample