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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 does Tom do after the first big battle of the Civil War?

2. What do the men in the store tease Jethro about?

3. What does Shadrach tell Jethro to call the president?

4. How many children has Jethro's mother had?

5. What do the men in Jethro's family do when they hear of the beginning of the war?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ellen do after reading the first letter from Tom since he left for the war?

2. What responsibilities does Jethro take on when Matt is hurt?

3. What is Matt doing when he gets hurt?

4. How does Bill feel about the war?

5. How does Jethro feel about the love between Shadrach and Jenny?

6. What happens at the Creighton table when the subject of the war is brought up?

7. How does the nation respond to the beginning of the war?

8. How old is Jenny, and what is her role in the household?

9. How is Jethro prepared for his first trip into town?

10. What happens when Jethro gets to the store in town?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Responsibility and coming-of-age are two themes that are interwoven in many places of this plot. Where do these themes appear, and how do they work together to move the plot along?

Essay Topic 2

Ross Milton was a minor character whose presence made a big difference in the plot. How did he accomplish this? What are some ways that his presence, however brief, alters the outcome of the plot? What would have happened differently if he had not been in the book at all?

Essay Topic 3

Fear is a common theme in this book that is presented a number of times by a number of characters. What are some of these instances, and how does fear affect the characters in the book?

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