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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. A bear rushes into the meadow from the brush and kills what, as Tom Black muses over his rodeo plans one day?

2. When does Tom Black arrive and camp at his old campsite when he returns to locate the bear?

3. Tom Black tracks the bear up the mountain, circles back around to where he started, and discovers what?

4. Tom Black obtains the rodeo schedule, intends to make a comeback, and plans to use his summer pay to buy what?

5. Tom Black Bull seems to draw the broncos that do what?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The first horse Tom Black Bull rode to death was in his initial rodeo in Aztec. The last was in Madison Square Garden. What is Tom's violence directed against? Why does he take his violence out on the horses? What does Red Dillon represent? What does Tom become more like as he gives in progressively to his violence?

Essay Topic 2

The bear in this story represents Tom Black Bull and his boyhood. This is his foundation, his connection with the 'old ways'. Explain how In the end, his arduous trek to find and kill his bear leads Tom to his reparation and purification of the evil individual he has become.

Essay Topic 3

Tom encounters the bear while herding sheep and he is surprised. It brings back memories as well as questions. Why does Tom go back to track the bear down? What will he do when he finds the bear? Why is he unable to kill the bear? What journey does his second meeting with the bear compel Tom to take?

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This section contains 338 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample