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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. How much money does the narrator borrow from the bank in Chapter LV?

2. What is the primary content of the Whiteman Cement Mine?

3. What species feed around Mono Lake?

4. Why does Mr. Higbie join the narrator's party?

5. How many wandering German brothers discovered the Whiteman Cement Mine?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is pocket mining and the result of the narrator's attempt at it?

2. Why is finding a good horse a difficult task in Hawaii?

3. What is the Whiteman Cement Mine and why is it considered to be elusive?

4. How long is the narrator's trip, and what does he conclude at the end of the story?

5. Who is Jack Williams and what does his story depict about Nevada in the late 1800s?

6. Who is Higbie, and why is he valuable for the narrator's search of Mr. Whiteman?

7. Why is the narrator's work never published in The Weekly Occidental?

8. What happens when the narrator encounters a band of highway bandits after a lecture?

9. What is the process of mining silver and shipping it to California in 1865?

10. What causes the narrator to travel to San Francisco?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Twain uses a variety of literary techniques to bring his story to life in Roughing It.

1) Describe 3 examples of symbolism and how they are important to the theme of the story.

2) Describe 3 examples of foreshadowing and their impact on the narrator's life experiences.

3) Explain at least 3 examples of how Twain uses both humor and descriptions to provide an informative, yet entertaining account of the changing West in the 1800s.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the Hawaiian islands in detail as they are explored by the narrator towards the end of the book. Include the historical relevance of his six-month stay on the island, several examples of the scenery, and why he enjoyed the culture there. Also, analyze the author's style of writing in these chapters and how it complements the narrator's profession at this point of the story.

Essay Topic 3

A two-day visit to Salt Lake City gives the narrator a chance to analyze the lifestyle of the Mormons.

1) Describe how the narrator views the Mormons, the way he approaches his analysis of them, and why.

2) Explain the different cultures that the Mormons have during the 1800s and the reasons for them.

3) Describe 3 examples that the author uses to depict the Mormons' philosophy and way of life, along with the conclusion he makes for each example.

(see the answer keys)

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