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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. The author and his neighbor _________ go ice fishing in "April 3 Ice Fishing."

2. Why does the author make a trip in "December 4"?

3. In "Excursions," the author and one of his students pull up samples of insects from ________.

4. Does the dear show fear?

5. In the stump of an old __________ the author finds many wide, deep grub holes.

Short Essay Questions

1. What takes place in "December 29 Winter Ecology?" Why might the author do this?

2. What takes place in "January 5 Bog Trip"? How might this affect the students?

3. What takes place in "Cows"? What is your reaction to this? Why?

4. Describe the author's walk in "April 28 Free Search." Why does he do this?

5. What experiment does the author perform with the squirrels? Why?

6. Describe "April 20." Is the author's life a simple one? Why or why not?

7. What does the author learn from this dissection? How is this important to him?

8. How does the author spend Christmas? How does he feel about this? How does this experience compare to his other experiences throughout this book?

9. What does he author say about his favorite season? Why might he feel this way?

10. How does the author feel about the mice and flies? Why? How does this compare to how he feels about other animals?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Much of the activities in the woods have to do with survival.

Part 1) Describe the activities of the author and other creatures. How are they necessary to survival? What parallels in behavior can be seen between the author and the wild animals? Why?

Part 2) What activities do you do that are related to survival? Are those activities based on instinct or on the way in which you were raised?

Part 3) How is survival a theme in this book? What does the author say about this theme? Why does he say this? What does this reveal about him?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Stuart, the author's son, visits him several times at the cabin.

Part 1) Describe their visits together. What do these visits reveal about each of them? What do they reveal about their relationship? Do you believe the author spends enough time with his son? Is this a healthy relationship between a parent and a child? Why or why not?

Part 2) How would you feel if your parents divorced and one of them left to live in another state? How might this affect you and your relationship with your parents?

Part 3) What are your thoughts on divorce and the actions of parents regarding their children? Can children of divorce lead healthy lives? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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