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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 is Bryson afraid is staring at him when he sees two glowing eyes in the darkness?

2. How far had Bryson and Katz hiked when they parted ways?

3. Why does Katz leave the trail and go into the woods?

4. How many Union troops does Stonewall Jackson capture at Harper's Ferry?

5. Why does Katz stay in his room while staying in Waynesboro?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire.

2. Describe Bryson's thoughts on areas through which he thinks the Appalachian Trail should pass.

3. Describe what Bryson finds strange about the town of Centralia.

4. What is the decision that Bryson and Katz make after Katz gets lost in the woods.

5. How do Bryson and Katz adapt to hiking through Maine's wilderness?

6. Describe Kitattiny Mountain and how it was formed.

7. Explain why Mount Washington has such extreme weather conditions.

8. Describe Chicken John's claim to fame.

9. Summarize what Katz does to pass the time while Bryson is at Kmart.

10. Summarize the weather conditions in which most people fall victim to hypothermia.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bryson describes the attitudes of Americans toward the wilderness.

1) Interpret Bryson's views about Americans and the wilderness.

2) In what way do Americans differ in their attitudes toward the wilderness with other parts of the world? Use examples from the book to justify the answers.

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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