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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 long does John wait for Ben to emerge from the rock pile after finding him?

2. Who does Ben ask to help bury the badger?

3. When Burton's gun goes off while William is trying to wrestle it away, where is William hit?

4. Where does Ben plan to bury the badger?

5. How old is John in Chapter Eleven as he searches for his baby brother?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe why the MacDonald family finally accepts Ben's story as complete truth.

2. Why does Ben not recognize his brother when John first attempts contact with him in Chapter Eleven?

3. Why is the bird in Chapter Seven leading Ben away from the house?

4. Why does John decide to use his prized rifle to mark the spot where he found Ben's shoe, as the rifle will certainly be ruined?

5. What are William's thoughts when Ben asks if the badger will live?

6. Describe the condition of the MacDonalds in the weeks after Ben's disappearance.

7. Why is William initially unconcerned about Ben's location in Chapter Nine?

8. Describe Ben's appearance when John finds him and returns home.

9. Why does the search team from North Corners not turn up any sign of Ben in the two days they spend looking?

10. Describe the fight between Burton and William.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Are Eckert's animals lifelike and believable? Or are they too anthropomorphic to be real? Pick three animals from the story (aside from the badger) and discuss how realistic the animals seem.

Essay Topic 2

How much of a role does imagery play in the novel? The author spends a lot of time describing nature; would the novel be as effective without these descriptions? Why or why not? Be sure to include supporting information from the text.

Essay Topic 3

The author frequently foreshadows events to come in the novel by discussing some particular point in detail that seems somewhat irrelevant at the time. Cite three examples of foreshadowing in the book and explain why the author chose to foreshadow these events.

(see the answer keys)

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