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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 did John warn Mr. York that Black Beauty and Ginger had never used at Birtwick Park?

2. In Chapter 1, what did Dick throw at the horses?

3. What man-made machine helped Black Beauty become fearless in Chapter 3?

4. Who was the first person to respond to the fire in Chapter 16?

5. What did the master yell at Dick when he caught the boy throwing something at the horses?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Ginger’s history come back to haunt her in Chapter 23?

2. What role does communication play in Black Beauty’s life, as described in Chapter 6?

3. Ginger admitted to Black Beauty that she was bad to her past masters by kicking and biting. What was her reasoning for behaving this way?

4. How does Black Beauty and Ginger’s relationship change throughout Chapter 5?

5. What finally got Ginger to become a calm, happy, and content horse?

6. What theme is introduced In Chapter 2?

7. How is the theme of cruelty introduced in Chapter 13?

8. How was Merrylegs the peacekeeper among the horses?

9. How did Joe’s actions in Chapter 20 show that he was a good fit to work for Squire Gordon?

10. How does Black Beauty show readers that the Gordons are good people?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Each horse Black Beauty meets has a name; the inspiration for some names is obvious, while others are more thought provoking. What do the names of the different horses – including the various names Black Beauty is given throughout the novel – tell readers about the horse and/or its owner? Do the horse’s names symbolize anything?

Essay Topic 2

Many words of wisdom are handed down to Black Beauty throughout this life. Who doles out wisdom to Black Beauty, and to what does it apply? Did someone’s wisdom resonate more with Black Beauty than others?

Essay Topic 3

Black Beauty formed many relationships throughout the novel. Which relationship affected him the most? Which character did Black Beauty influence the most?

(see the answer keys)

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