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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 is Alice Yoakum?

2. What does Hartman worry if she returns one of the objects of her display?

3. What does Chee wish to see?

4. Who does Chee confront as he and Janet leave Highhawk's office?

5. What does the Amtrak conductor find when he looks in the roomette?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Leaphorn learn when he calls his office?

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

3. Describe the conversation between Leroy and Delmar Fleck.

4. Who does Fleck follow to the Smithsonian?

5. What does Leaphorn observe about the handwriting on papers in the victim's luggage and what does he realize about one of the papers?

6. What is Fleck's association with Eddy Elkins and why does Fleck think of him in this chapter?

7. Besides a Yeibichai mask, what else does Chee find of interest in Highhawk's office?

8. Whose body is found in some bushes and what is the cause of death?

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

10. How does Leaphorn find an address for the victim that was dumped in the desert?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Talking God, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements (They may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not.

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

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.

(see the answer keys)

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