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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 many people has Slade killed, as mentioned in the book?

2. When the party reaches Esmeralda, how much do they conclude that the claims they have are worth?

3. Who is the referee in the court case between Hyde and Morgan?

4. How much will the narrator's brother be paid for his new job?

5. What two bodies of water do the streams at the top of the South Pass empty into?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the narrator and his crew respond to the prospect of freezing to death?

2. What are the details of the court case between Hyde and Morgan, and what is the outcome?

3. How does the narrator describe the coyotes he sees?

4. What warning is the narrator and his party given as they approach the Honey Lake Smith's Inn, and what is their response?

5. What is the reality of the alkali desert as the narrator experiences it after leaving Salt Lake City?

6. What is the weather like in Unionville and what does the narrator find there?

7. How long is the Prefatory in Roughing It, and what is its purpose?

8. How does the narrator's party claim their mining areas along the mountains in Unionville, and what happens as they try to work in them?

9. What leads the narrator and his party to Esmeralda?

10. What causes the narrator to work for a Quartz mill and how does his employment there end?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Twain uses a variety of literary techniques to bring his story to life in Roughing It.

1) Describe 3 examples of symbolism and how they are important to the theme of the story.

2) Describe 3 examples of foreshadowing and their impact on the narrator's life experiences.

3) Explain at least 3 examples of how Twain uses both humor and descriptions to provide an informative, yet entertaining account of the changing West in the 1800s.

Essay Topic 2

One of the major lessons in Roughing It is the contradiction in the notion of becoming rich with little effort. This theme is returned to a number of different times throughout the book.

1) Explain what the goal of the narrator is in Nevada and why he believes it is possible.

2) Describe 3 ways that the narrator attempts to achieve his goal and the results of them.

3) Analyze the concept of becoming rich with little work, including what the author's message about it is in the book, and how the narrator's opinion of it changes.

Essay Topic 3

The author's tone in Roughing It changes throughout the book to reflect the narrator's journey. Analyze how Twain changes slightly between a humorous narrative and an informative reporting style of writing. Use the entire book to provide examples of which chapters feature each style, why the style was chosen for them, and how both styles contribute to the effectiveness of the story in general.

(see the answer keys)

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