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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 function does Janet Pete serve at her firm?

2. What does Kennedy find on the body of the death he is investigating?

3. Who disagrees with Highhawk's work?

4. What does Leaphorn find when he goes out on the job for Kennedy?

5. What does the doctor think Agnes Tsosie is going to need?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Janet say about one of McDermott's clients who is a real estate developer?

2. Who does Leaphorn wish he could talk over the case with and why can't he?

3. What is Jim Chee's response to Mary's letter?

4. Where is Jim Chee planning to go on his vacation?

5. What does Janet Pete tell Jim Chee when she calls him at his office?

6. What does Anges Tsosie tell Joe Leaphorn when he questions her?

7. Why hasn't The Client paid Fleck the rest of the money owed Fleck?

8. Describe Henry Highhawk's appearance at the Night Chant ceremony.

9. About what does Jay Kennedy call Joe Leaphorn?

10. What has Henry Highhawk asked the Smithsonian to do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Talking God, like most novels in the detective genre involves police officers and police work. Discuss the following:

1. What are the characteristics of an effective police officer? Does Leaphorn perform well as a police officer? What about Chee? Kennedy?

2. What additional characteristics does a police detective need versus a policeman on the beat?

3. Discuss the clash between the FBI and the police. Should more cooperation take place between the agencies? Why do you think the FBI is often portrayed in an uncomplimentary light in police/detective novels? How does Hillerman portray the FBI?

Essay Topic 2

Talking God belongs to the detective/crime/mystery genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the detective/crime/mystery genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a suspense novel and a murder mystery?

4. Many in the world of academe do not see mystery as a serious genre, that its primary purpose is entertainment and not "worthy" of being studied by serious students of literature? Respond to that idea.

Essay Topic 3

One of the overlying themes in this book and indeed most of Hillerman's books is the differences between White, Western culture and that of Native Americans. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Choose two of the following areas and compare and contrast the White, Western culture with the Native American culture: religion, nature, politics/government, marriage, death, war, gender roles.

2. Using the entire novel of Talking God, write an essay on how you think Hillerman perceives Native American culture.

3. Using the entire novel of Talking God, write an essay on how you think Hillerman perceives white, Western culture.

(see the answer keys)

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