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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. Who does Leaphorn call to fill him in on what Leaphorn has learned in Washington, D. C?

2. How does Leaphorn learn the killer's address?

3. What did Fleck kill three inmates?

4. What does Leaphorn learn about auranofin?

5. About whom does Leaphorn ask his interrogators?

Short Essay Questions

1. With whom does Chee have breakfast and what amazes Chee?

2. What does the recording found with Highhawk reveal?

3. Who does Fleck follow to the Smithsonian?

4. What lesson does Fleck remember from his childhood?

5. Why do Chee and Highhawk agree to meet at the museum?

6. Describe Fleck's conversation with "The Client" after reading the newspaper articles.

7. What do the prosecutors offer Highhawk and what is his response?

8. What does the man who was the conductor on the Amtrak train which stopped in the desert in New Mexico tell Joe Leaphorn?

9. What happens while Highhawk and Chee are sitting in Highhawk's office and what does Chee do?

10. How does Fleck's childhood lesson serve him while he is in prison and as a hired killer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think Talking God is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 2

Talking God, like most novels in the detective genre involves police officers and police work. Discuss the following:

1. What are the characteristics of an effective police officer? Does Leaphorn perform well as a police officer? What about Chee? Kennedy?

2. What additional characteristics does a police detective need versus a policeman on the beat?

3. Discuss the clash between the FBI and the police. Should more cooperation take place between the agencies? Why do you think the FBI is often portrayed in an uncomplimentary light in police/detective novels? How does Hillerman portray the FBI?

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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