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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 tells Abigail that she's not "beholden" to the Howland home?

2. What is another name that Margaret knows for water moccasins?

3. How does William honor his daughter after death in Wade County?

4. Who sits on the Carmichael porch to play the banjo and sing the blues?

5. Two African American children, six and seven years old, arrived at the Howland kitchen door on Sunday afternoon. What did everyone call these children?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain why the townspeople are angry at the grandfather for not bringing his daughter's body home for burial from Santa Fe?

2. On moving to Madison City, what does Abigail recall being told about her mother.

3. What are death gifts, and what happens if you touch one?

4. What does Abigail remember about Robert as a child?

5. How long does the great-grandmother's funeral last?

6. What are Abigail's days like after she and John marry but before he finishes his last year of law school?

7. Describe the Howland kitchen.

8. What does Abigail remember about family vacations?

9. What are Margaret's earliest memories?

10. Describe the only act of affection between her grandfather and Margaret that Abigail witnesses.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss William's excitement at the "game" of finding a still in the swamp. Why would this bring about a change in his behavior?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the effects of the Depression on the Howland family.

Essay Topic 3

Describe what the author means by "keep your heart ticking under the sheltering arches of your ribs."

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This section contains 718 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample