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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 miles away from St. Joseph have the narrator and his brother traveled by the end of Chapter IX?

2. How does the narrator's party determine that they are lost in the beginning of Chapter XXXII?

3. What gift does Capt. John Nye have?

4. How many friends does the narrator take along with him to mine for silver?

5. Where is the author traveling to?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What are the limitations of the stage coach that is going to Carson City, Nevada, and which items does the narrator take with him?

4. What is the story of Bemis and the buffalo, and how do the other passengers respond to it?

5. Who accompanies the narrator on his trip to Humboldt County, and how does the first two hundred miles of their expedition go?

6. How does the narrator begin his journey in Chapter I?

7. Why does the story of Hank Monk and Horace Greeley irritate the narrator so much?

8. What is the economy of Salt Lake City like, and how long do the travelers stay there?

9. How is the breakfast that the narrator is served in Nebraska described, and what future traveling accommodations does he compare his situation to?

10. What causes the narrator to marvel at the sight of the Rocky Mountains?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the court case between Hyde and Morgan. Include the events leading up to the case and each side's arguments. Also, explain the significance of the referee, his decision, and the message the narrator is delivering with the outcome of the case.

Essay Topic 2

Writing is a very important factor for the narrator in Roughing It and is a crucial element in his success at the end of the book.

1) Describe how the narrator's gift of words and communication is presented throughout the story.

2) Explain how the narrator uses his skills to begin a successful career at the end of the story and why this is both a natural and ironic choice for him.

3) Analyze how the narrator finds success when he uses his ability to write by describing 3 examples from the book. Also, include Twain's conclusion about traveling, and how writing inspires him to use his experiences in a historic way that has a lasting effect on future generations.

Essay Topic 3

A two-day visit to Salt Lake City gives the narrator a chance to analyze the lifestyle of the Mormons.

1) Describe how the narrator views the Mormons, the way he approaches his analysis of them, and why.

2) Explain the different cultures that the Mormons have during the 1800s and the reasons for them.

3) Describe 3 examples that the author uses to depict the Mormons' philosophy and way of life, along with the conclusion he makes for each example.

(see the answer keys)

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