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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 title does Jack Williams hold at one time?

2. Although his work is never published in the paper, what does the narrator write specifically for The Occidental?

3. How many wandering German brothers discovered the Whiteman Cement Mine?

4. How long is the narrator the chief editor of the newspaper before resigning?

5. What does the narrator examine for an hour in a mine in order to write an article?

Short Essay Questions

1. How long does the narrator stay in Hawaii, and in what way does the author's literary tone change in these chapters?

2. Why is the narrator's work never published in The Weekly Occidental?

3. What causes the narrator to travel to San Francisco?

4. How does the narrator describe San Francisco?

5. How long is the narrator's trip, and what does he conclude at the end of the story?

6. How does Nevada change during the flush times, and what are nabobs?

7. What happens when the narrator encounters a band of highway bandits after a lecture?

8. Who is Higbie, and why is he valuable for the narrator's search of Mr. Whiteman?

9. How does the narrator begin working for the Enterprise in Virginia?

10. What lifestyle does the narrator have in the first few months of his stay in San Francisco, and how does it change dramatically?

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

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.

Essay Topic 3

Describe Mark Twain's objectives of writing Roughing It. Use the information in the Prefatory to explain his reasons for chronicling his adventures and the style he intends to use in the book. Then, provide examples that display how Twain accomplishes his objectives on multiple levels.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 966 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample