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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. Why does Tom leave Honduras?

2. Jackie spends a year in which country?

3. What do Dillon and Arthur Lee do after the dam bursts?

4. How many people agree to attend mass when the bishop comes?

5. Who has threatened to bring criminal charges against Tom if he doesn't shut down his VISTA activities?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Hassel help Tom out when he learns that the bishop is coming for a visit?

2. How has Tom's childhood plagued him and how is he conflicted about his life choices?

3. What do Dillon and Arthur Lee do to try to warn the town about the dam which has burst?

4. What significance do black lungs have for the story?

5. What does Tom advise Jackie to do when he unexpectedly show up in town?

6. What are the possible interpretations of Tom's telling Jackie that they are "not done" yet?

7. Why is Dillon still so conflicted in his relationship with Jackie?

8. What threat does the dam pose and how do Dillon and Arthur Lee differ in how to manage the problem?

9. What are Dillon's emotional reasons for telling Jackie that he is her father?

10. Why do the family graves need to be moved after the American Coal Company obtains rights to Homeplace?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a character study of Dillon. What are his physical characteristics? What are his motivations? What are his fears? What are his dreams? What else can you say about Dillon?

Essay Topic 2

How does the author present point of view of the story? What are the benefits and the limitations to this particular style of presenting points of view from the main characters? How is the point of view determined? Provide an example that supports your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the conflict between the people who lived in the coal mining region of West Virginia and those involved in the government programs designed to provide aid.

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