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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. In "An Erratic Flight," what does China Iron say "doubles happiness" (148)?

2. In "That Strange Gaucho Who Fancied Himself as a Writer," what claim does the Colonel make about Buenos Aires?

3. In "Goodbye Colonel," when Liz asks where the Colonel thinks her husband is, what is his ultimate conclusion?

4. In "Frothing like Foam," what does China Iron say "is the best air" (141)?

5. Who is in charge of punishing gauchos at the fort?

Short Essay Questions

1. While the Colonel is telling Martin's story in "That Strange Gaucho Who Fancied Himself as a Writer," why is China Iron both fearful and relieved?

2. In what way does the use of indigenous words in "Part Three: Indian Territory" support the novel's themes?

3. In "That Strange Gaucho Who Fancied Himself as a Writer," what causes China Iron to want to hit the Colonel with a stick?

4. Explain how the Indian cook and his assistants get their portion of food.

5. Explain what Liz believes about Campo Malo and its relationship to the rest of the fort.

6. Although it is dispersed over several chapters, what is the chronological story of the community's relationship with the Guarani?

7. In "Contemplating the Trees," what do most of the plants that China Iron describes seem to have in common, and what is their purpose?

8. What goods and presents does the Colonel give Liz as she, China Iron, and Rosario are leaving?

9. What is ironic about the Colonel's belief that he did Martín Fierro a favor by stealing his poetry?

10. In his last conversation with Liz, while they are discussing the Indians, what ideas does the Colonel share about the land and progress?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you choose two characters (male or female) and compare and contrast their attitudes toward women. Support your claims with evidence from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay in which you evaluate the utopia in "Part Three: Indian Territory." Divide your essay into two sections. First, provide an analytical section in which you show why this is a "paradise" for China Iron, using textual evidence to back your claims. Second, make and defend a claim about whether this is a more generalizable utopia--that is, would it function as a paradise for most humans? In this second section, you are not being asked to make moral or ethical claims. Instead, base your evaluation in psychological and sociological research on human happiness. Be sure to cite all sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you make a claim about the thematic purpose of including the dog Estreya in the novel. Be sure to support your claims with textual evidence.

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