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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 does Bernadette Manuelito admire on her way to Chee's trailer?

2. What does Plymale want Chandler to do?

3. What is Joe attempting to do?

4. As Bernadette Manuelito sweetly remembers things about Jim Chee, what happens?

5. What does Joe think is Joanna Craig's motivation?

Short Essay Questions

1. The focus on the possibility of rain continues in this chapter; name several hints that the weather may play a role in the story.

2. What do you think is the main purpose of this short chapter?

3. Do you think Louisa's condemnation of the modern pollution of ancient myths is totally logical?

4. How does the author introduce the Navajo setting and a little of their philosophy?

5. What seems to be a likely foreshadowing of a coming event?

6. At this point in the story, do you believe it when Joanna says that she seeks only her father's arm to end his pain in the afterlife and is not interested in the diamonds?

7. How is a Caucasian woman from New York related to a case that takes place on Navajo lands in New Mexico?

8. What in this chapter may foreshadow a future event?

9. There are several inconsistencies in Chapter 13; name one of them.

10. What about the difference between white and Native American culture does Hillerman seem to be again emphasizing. Why do you as a reader respond to this obvious stereotyping?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

As the novel opens and then moves along to its conclusion, some characters seem to be more different from each other than first appears and some seem more alike to each other than first appears. Choose one of the following and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Compare the character of Chandler from who he seems to be during the first half of the book to the person he seems to be in last half. How is he alike? How different? Which "person" do you like the best? Why?

2. Compare the character of Joanna Craig from who she seems to be during the first half of the book to the person she seems to be in the last half. How is she alike? How different? Which "person" do you like the best? Why?

3. Compare and contrast Bernie, Chee, and Joe from who they seem to be when they are first introduced to who they are revealed to be by the end of the story. How much do they either change or become who they really are? Who did you like at first and then dislike by the end of the story--and vice versa? Which of the three characters seems to change more? Why?

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 12, Louisa says she heard many new myths mixed with the old ones, about bodies and things falling out of the sky from the plane collision. She notes that such modern "contamination" of ancient myths is the bane of anthropologists everywhere. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. What are some of the Hopi and Navajo myths and how do they attempt to explain situations in the lives of the Native Americans?

2. Does the white American culture have its own myths? What's the difference between a myth and an urban legend? Why are there not perhaps as many myths in white culture as in the Native American culture? Do you think cultures who are not Christian see the story of Jesus as a myth?

3. Does your family have any of its own myths? Sometimes an anecdote that is old enough takes on the proportions of a myth. Are there any such anecdotes in your family history that has done so? What about in your community? Are myths necessary in this modern world?

Essay Topic 3

Chapter 13 gives the readers an astonishing view of Joanna Craig when she shoots Sherman in cold blood. Answer the following questions by writing a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Does Joanna's action of shooting Sherman come as a surprise? Why or why not? Do you think the action is justified? Do you think she can be held legally responsible?

2. What would you have done in Joanna's place? The same thing? Something different? Do you think Joanna intended to kill Sherman?

3. Sherman recovers from his gunshot wound and is unwilling to say who shoots him. Why do you think he does this? Is it merely chauvinism as Joe suggests? Since Sherman refuses to point the finger at Joanne, she gets off scot free. Is this fair? Are you glad or outraged? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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