View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does the author think the clearing will look in the end, even though his style of harvesting trees could be considered sloppy?

2. What is the thing that surprises the author the most?

3. What does the author awaken to on his first morning?

4. The author has another run on "September 18" - this time running a length of __________ miles.

5. What does the section "August 4 Wanderers" describe?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the geologic history of the region? Why might the author give this information?

2. Describe the author's traveling companion. Why might he want this companion?

3. How does Jack act like other ravens? How does the author predict this?

4. What does the author learn about living simply in his first two months?

5. Describe the author's first morning in the cabin. What can be predicted regarding his stay in this cabin based on this information?

6. What takes place in "September 27 Starting a Sugar Shack"?

7. What does the author do to prepare for winter in "June 12 Early Harvests"?

8. Why does chopping wood make the author happy? What does this reveal about him?

9. What does the author notice in "October 6 Cherry HIll Drive"? Why might this be important?

10. What is the purpose of "Beginnings"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author has developed a keen sense of only noticing the unique and new.

Part 1) Use details from the book to prove this statement to be true. How has he come to have this keen sense? How is he now like Jack? is he also like other wild animals? Why or why not? Are you surprised that he has grown to be more like the animals around him? Why or why not?

Part 2) What does this change in the author's senses reveal about the influence of one's environment? How much has the author been influenced by his environment? Explain.

Part 3) Can this change in one's senses take place in the civilized, modern world? If so, how? If not, why not?

Essay Topic 2

Fishing is often discussed in this book.

Part 1) Describe the author's fishing expeditions. Why does he go fishing? How is fishing important in this book? What other activities pertaining to his relationship with nature are also important? Why?

Part 2) What else is also discussed a great deal in this book? Why? How is this important to the author and to this book?

Part 3) What activities in your own life are of importance? Why? How do these activities compare to those of the author?

Essay Topic 3

The author takes his son to the county fair.

Part 1) Describe their time at the fair. What do these events reveal about the culture of those who participate in the county fair? What do the author's reaction and his son's reaction reveal about them?

Part 2) Why does the author tell of his trip to the fair? How is this trip related to other events described in this book? What else does the author do with his son? What do these activities reveal about each of them and their relationship with each other?

Part 3) How are fairs an important part of the American culture? Why are they still important today? What does this reveal about Americans today?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,394 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample