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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 is Angnes Tsosie told by a doctor?

2. What does Kennedy find on the body of the death he is investigating?

3. What are the dancers doing that Chee is watching?

4. What is the opposition to what one of McDermott's clients want to do?

5. Upon what does Leroy Fleck reflect?

Short Essay Questions

1. For whom does Janet Chee work and what is her relationship to her immediate supervisor?

2. What is a possible break Leaphorn makes in the case as he revisits the scene at dusk?

3. Who does Leaphorn wish he could talk over the case with and why can't he?

4. What does Janet say about one of McDermott's clients who is a real estate developer?

5. Describe Agnes Tsosie's visit to the doctor.

6. Where is Jim Chee planning to go on his vacation?

7. What does Janet Pete tell Jim Chee when she calls him at his office?

8. What shocks Catherine Perry about the box on her desk?

9. What is so mysterious about the body in the desert?

10. What does Janet Pete tell Jim Chee about a man in a Chevy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Talking God, like most detective novels, involves the act of murder. Discuss the following:

1. What is murder? Is the act of murder always clearly murder?

2. Do you think the death of Leroy Fleck, who is a known murderer, is at all tragic? Why or why not.

3. Is murder ever justified? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Define irony in literary terms. Discuss the irony of the situation whereby Joe Leaphorn, using only his mind, "out detects" the FBI, with its large budget and state-of-the-art equipment.

2. Define symbolism in literary terms. Discuss the use of and meaning of five symbols found in Talking God.

3. Discuss the use of foreshadowing in literature. What is the purpose of foreshadowing? Cite 3 examples of foreshadowing and how it is used to indicate events to come in Talking God.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. Choose two incidences in Talking God and compare/contrast the way the Navajo culture and the western, white culture view those incidents.

2. Write an argument/persuasion essay addressing the idea of assimilation versus a group keeping their own culture when they live within a larger culture.

3. Conduct 2 interviews of Native Americans or persons from a different culture who have moved to the United States and ask them about the idea of assimilation versus merging into the predominent culture of the United States.

(see the answer keys)

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