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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. To whom does Leaphorn show the photos of the dead man?

3. Why does Leaphorn go out into the snow?

4. What does the pathologist say about the cause of death of the body?

5. What does Kennedy tell Leaphorn at lunch?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. Who has called Catherine Perry and what does she think he wants?

4. Describe what Joe Leaphorn finds at the crime scene Kennedy asks him to investigate.

5. Why does Joe Leaphorn believe harmony has been restored in terms of the corpse in the desert?

6. What is Catherine Perry's thoughts about Highhawk's request?

7. Describe Henry Highhawk's appearance at the Night Chant ceremony.

8. Why hasn't The Client paid Fleck the rest of the money owed Fleck?

9. What has Henry Highhawk asked the Smithsonian to do?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes, a book is more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think Talking God is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

Getting the most out of this novel requires some familiarity with the Navajo cultures. 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. Who are the Navajo? What are some of the different clans of Navajo? How do the various clans differ, if they do? What are some of their common beliefs? How do the Navajo live in today's world?

3. How does the Navajo culture inform the plot and actions of this novel? Give examples.

4. Compare and contrast the cultures of two Southwestern Native American tribes.

Essay Topic 3

One of the overlying themes in this book and indeed most of Hillerman's books is the differences between White, Western culture and that of Native Americans. 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. Choose two of the following areas and compare and contrast the White, Western culture with the Native American culture: religion, nature, politics/government, marriage, death, war, gender roles.

2. Using the entire novel of Talking God, write an essay on how you think Hillerman perceives Native American culture.

3. Using the entire novel of Talking God, write an essay on how you think Hillerman perceives white, Western culture.

(see the answer keys)

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