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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. Who is the first person to hike the Appalachian Trail in a single summer?

2. How long is the average hike time for the complete trail?

3. Who is one of the most famous thru hikers of the Appalachian Trail?

4. What is the title of the book Bill reads snuggled in bed weeks before the walk begins?

5. What does Katz buy in Franklin that irritates Bryson?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the two things Bryson is shocked about when he goes to buy equipment for the hike.

2. Why are Bryson and Katz looking forward to hiking the eight miles to Waynesboro?

3. Summarize the accomplishments of Earl V. Shaffer during the summer of 1948.

4. Describe the Chattahoochee Forest.

5. Summarize the plan that the Appalachian Trail Conference forms from Benton MacKaye's original idea.

6. Describe the first look Bryson and Katz have of the Smoky Mountains.

7. Describe the reaction Bryson and Katz have toward Hiawassee when they arrive there with Donna and her fiancé.

8. Mary Ellen becomes a hiking companion to Bryson and Katz. Describe her experience as a hiker.

9. Describe the contrast between the weather in the south with the weather a hundred miles further north in Virginia.

10. How does Bryson summarize the quality of Appalachian Trail maps?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

1) Compare and contrast the characters of Bill Bryson and Stephen Katz.

2) Summarize the impact each character has on the other.

3) Which character is the stronger character of the two both physically and emotionally? Defend the answer with examples.

Essay Topic 2

1) Interpret the feelings Bryson and Katz have for the trail in the first part of the novel with the emotions and reaction they have later in the novel.

2) What regrets do they have at the end of the novel with regard to their journey?

3) How does their relationship differ from the first part of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

1) What is the message Bryson is trying to convey about the wilderness and civilization?

2) How does he depict a realistic and relevant view of human nature and the wild?

3) Are the human qualities of each character true to life? Explain.

4) How do the characters react to the everyday struggles of hiking the Appalachian Trail?

(see the answer keys)

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