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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 time of day was it when Tree-ear found the palace?

2. What was the name of the river Tree-ear could see from the Rock of Falling Flowers?

3. What did Tree-ear give Crane-man before he went on his journey?

4. What does Min tell the emissary about bringing an inlay vessel to him later?

5. Why did Tree-ear's attitude toward work change?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Tree-ear and Min do with the pots early in the morning and what does Tree-ear to for several days after?

2. What does Min do over the next few months?

3. What does the man first do to Tree-ear and how does Tree-ear respond?

4. What concerns Min about the emissary's kindness and what does Tree-ear tell Min's wife?

5. What does Min do about the problem with the pots?

6. What does Min say to Tree-ear's suggestion and what is Tree-ear's response to her?

7. What does Crane-man finally end up doing about Min's wife's request?

8. How does Tree-ear feel about what Min said to him?

9. What happens on the sixth day of Tree-ear's journey and how does he feel about it?

10. What does Min tell Tree-ear when he finds him upon returning home?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tree-ear seems to be an honest, hard-working, and responsible boy.

1. Knowing what you know of Tree-ear's life thus far, how is do you think he could have developed the traits he demonstrates by his courage and persistence? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. What do you think is shown by Tree-ear's actions, given that Tree-ear going to Songdo by walking might be similar to a boy walking to a town 200 miles away in our present society? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

3. Do you think Tree-ear's behavior and actions are consistent with his age? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

To win a commission from the royal palace is something all potters want and something Min needs in order to allow him to survive working at the slow pace in which he works. However, Kang threatens this for Min, leaving Tree-ear uncertain for both their futures. This foreshadows a moment when Tree-ear will tell Min of this work.

1. What is foreshadowing? Would you consider the example in the above paragraph as foreshadowing? Why or why not? Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

2. Discuss another example of foreshadowing in A Single Shard including why you believe it is such. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

3. How do you think most people react to uncertainty in their lives? Use examples from A Single Shard and your own life to support your opinion.

Essay Topic 3

A great deal of detail about making pottery is contained in A Single Shard. In the era in which Tree-ear lived pottery was used for hundreds of purposes. Any piece of pottery fired in the proper shape would be functional and yet potters spent many extra hours making pieces that were both functional and beautiful.

1. From the descriptions in the book about making pottery explain, in detail, with examples why a potter would be considered an artist.

2. Discuss the importance of beauty in functional pieces of pottery include a brief discussion of human emotional and physical response to beauty. This may require research. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Many of the uses pottery had in the twelfth century have been replaced by plastic in the present day. Discuss what affects you believe using plastic might have on human culture. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 973 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample