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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 Tree-ear discover after a few days?

2. Why did potters try to find gray-brown clay?

3. About what is Crane-man pleased?

4. What does Tree-ear rotate doing?

5. What opens up when the winter storms stop?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Crane-man feel about Tree-ear's behavior?

2. What did Tree-ear do about the rice container? What was the farmer's response?

3. What does Tree-ear do for the next eight days for Min?

4. What does Tree-ear do at Min's house?

5. Why does Tree-ear feel guilty at home on his first night of work? What does he decide to do about his shame?

6. What does Tree-ear try to find out and how does his quest end?

7. Why does Tree-ear go to Min's house?

8. What does Tree-ear do with his bowl the next day of work and what happens to the food?

9. What kind of work is cutting clay and what does Tree-ear remember while he is cutting?

10. What does the emissary do when he arrives at the village?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Tree-ear comes home with the rice Crane-man makes a joke about their constant struggle to find enough to eat. Throughout the book Crane-man makes jokes about very serious issues.

1. Do you think the jokes Crane-man makes are funny? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Joking about dire situations is called gallows humor. With research, explain the concept of gallows humor and why it is important to humans. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Discuss three examples of humor you would use in Tree-ear's situation and explain why you think they are funny and why they would help you in his situation.

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Tree-ear from the beginning of the book to who he is at the end of the book. How are they similar? How are they different? Which person do you like more? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Crane-man and Min. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in A Single Shard help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 3

While Tree-ear was on his first day at his job with Min Crane-man tried to catch a flounder but was unable to do so. In a fit of anger he hit a rock with his crutch and broke the crutch. Tree-ear felt guilty that he was not there to catch flounder and that he did not even think of Crane-man when he ate his midday meal.

1. What can be learned from Crane-man breaking his crutch in a fit of anger? Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

2. Do you think Tree-ear should have felt guilty about not bringing Crane-man some of his midday food considering the amount of physical labor Tree-ear had to do? Why or why not? Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

3. Although Crane-man did not get a flounder and he broke his crutch and Tree-ear felt ashamed about his selfishness, they ended the evening having fun with each other. Talk about the character traits this type of ending to a hard day indicates. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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