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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. What does Brennan begin to have in Chapter 11?

2. What does Homesley give Brennan when Brennan is going through the boxes?

3. What kind of environmental conditions d0 patrol reports write about?

4. What does Brennan decide he has to do with the skull?

5. What kind of beetle does Brennan find the first time he looks for a beetle?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Brennan find out when he comes home in Chapter 21?

2. What incident with Mr. Homesley does Brennan recall when he thinks of talking to him about the skull?

3. Where does Brennan hide the skull in his house?

4. How long does it take for more information to come to Brennan and what does he do when Mr. Homesley calls about it?

5. What reason comes to Brennan when he thinks about keeping the skull?

6. What kind of relationship do Brennan and Mr. Homesley end up having?

7. What does Brennan do when he first arrives at his destination and what is he told? What is his response?

8. What happens when Brennan wants to stop for the night and what does he learn about snakes?

9. In Chapter 12, describe what Brennan is thinking when he contemplates the bullet hole in the skull.

10. What does Brennan learn about the probable age of the person to whom the skull belongs?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Brennan's mother has found the skull and called the police, taking the power of choice out of Brennan's hands. Brennan runs away and takes the skull back to the canyon.

1. Why do you think Brennan's mother called the police? Do you think this was a good decision on her part? Why or why not?

2. The above statement says that the call to the police took away Brennan's power of choice. Do you believe this is true? Why or why not?

3. Do you think Brennan was right to run away? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze one major theme of Canyons. Consider the following: How does one character's actions portray the theme you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to that theme? Is the theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

2. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Canyons. How does one character's actions portray the themes you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to those themes? Is each theme one that you would call a "universal theme"? If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

3. What benefit is there in discussing and analyzing the themes of a work of fiction? Do you think most authors consciously develop themes in their works? Why or why not? Can there be accidental themes? What do you think is one possible "accidental" theme in Canyons? Which theme in Canyons speaks to you the most in your life? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Coyote Runs becomes afraid when Magpie is shot down. All of a sudden for him death is possible and life is uncertain.

1. Why do you think Coyote Runs is alarmed at the uncertainty of life? Use examples from Canyons to support your answer.

2. Have you ever felt that life was scary because it was uncertain? Why or why not?

3. What are some of the things you think are absolutely certain about life and what are some that you think are completely uncertain?

(see the answer keys)

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