View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Black justify his behavior to himself?

2. What does Nora find as she continues to flee the injured skinwalker?

3. Why had the Anasazi built the tower?

4. What does Nora accuse her of?

5. What does Aragon believe killed Peter?

Short Essay Questions

1. What two things do the skinwalkers do when they go into Chilbah valley in Chapter 36?

2. What happens to Roscoe after the rest of the group heads for the Kiva opening?

3. Who grabs Nora from behind when she goes to check whether or not Sloane had killed Smithback?

4. How do Nora and Bill get out of the slot canyon after regaining consciousness?

5. How does Sloane test Nora's authority yet again?

6. What discovery does Black make, and how is it discovered?

7. How does Black justify his omission when the flash flood comes?

8. What do the designs on the black on yellow micaceous pottery reveal?

9. What does John do after he saves Nora and Bill?

10. What had Sloane's father surmised regarding the few small shards of black on yellow micaceous pottery he had been able to study?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are several factors that play into Nora's determination to take the horses over Devil's Backbone. This is a costly decision in several different ways, both physical and emotional. What are they? There is some dissent among team members as well. How does that factor into the decision, if at all? What could have been done at this point that may have avoided the tragic loss they suffer? Roscoe is one of her major opponents at this juncture. How does the tragedy that occurs play a part in their behavior further into the story?

Essay Topic 2

In the early chapters of the book, Nora has a distinct disdain for Bill. She mentally puts him down and is openly sarcastic and either unresponsive or her responses to him are negatively charged. This changes dramatically by the end of the book as he wins her trust and her heart. How did he lose it to begin with? What single event almost kept him single? What was the turning point? How did he finally change her mind about him? This was an issue that involved a confrontation, a revelation, and an act of selflessness. Be sure to name them all.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 31, Aragon has spends the entire night going over the bones that they found in the crawlspace. His revelations are disturbing at the very least and uncover some conflicting observations. Why does it make Nora and Aragon nervous? After an entire night absorbed in the task of understanding the bones and their history, how does he believe they connect to the skull found in Anasazi cave they explored before finding Quivira? What is the overall significance of this find?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,029 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample