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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. Literally, what does "malpais" mean?

2. What is the name of the cop from the Albuquerque Police Department who visits Chee in his hospital room?

3. According to what Chee has heard, who gave each of the roustabouts the same thing Chee finds in Emerson's clothing?

4. After Chee yells at Mary to run, what does Mary manage to get from the truck?

5. According to the person Chee and Mary next visit, how is cancer tracked?

Short Essay Questions

1. After Chee realizes that the killer is still nearby, where does Chee send Mary?

2. When Chee has trouble sleeping and sneaks out of his hospital room, why does he visit the area he goes to?

3. What happens when Chee tells the person he is visiting that several other men associated with the Charley family all died of cancer?

4. When Chee learns that the final roustabout has died, why does Chee want to see the body?

5. When the sheriff questions Chee in Chee's hospital room, what does the sheriff ask Chee to do?

6. Describe the purpose of an Enemy Way.

7. According to the discussion Mary and Chee have after leaving the roustabout's sister, why does Chee initially believe that Emerson Charley's body disappeared?

8. Why does the Albuquerque police officer tell Chee to be careful as the cop is leaving Chee's hospital room?

9. According to what Chee tells Mary, how does one become a Navajo witch?

10. After discovering the dead body on the way to where the missing box is supposed to be, how does Chee realize that the killer is still nearby?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

B.J. Vines wears different masks in the story. Both a respected community member and an incredible liar, Vines is a study in contradictions. Identify, then compare and contrast the different sides/personas of B.J. Vines. How would the entire plot have been affected if Vines had not been successful at deceiving those around him? Why is it necessary for Vines to wear different masks? Explain your reasoning.

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the story, there are several attempts made on Chee's life.

a. Identify at least three attempts on Chee's life. Describe the situation and how Chee escapes.

b. Compare and contrast the situations in which the attempts are made on Chee's life. What is the motivation in each of these situations to kill Chee?

Essay Topic 3

Identify the people interested in the outcome of Chee's investigation, especially once the oil well explosion figures prominently in his questions. Compare and contrast these people in terms of their motivations, ability to plan, ability to manipulate, and success achieved. How are they similar? How are they different? Did any one person end up influencing Chee more than the others? If so, who and why? Support your answer with examples from the story.

(see the answer keys)

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