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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. How does Marguerite catch sight of her reflection for the first time in many months?

2. How do the twins explain to Marguerite the crickets make their noises?

3. What is Marguerite untangling as the novel begins?

4. How many children do the Stanleys have?

5. What does Aunt Hespa boil in milk to help cure health complaints?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the Captain refuse to enter Penobscot Bay when they reach the mouth?

2. When the ship drops anchor at Falmouth, why do they decide to drop anchor outside of town?

3. What luxuries does Marguerite find herself indulging in at Aunt Hespa's house shortly after rescuing the cow and calf?

4. Why does Marguerite stop to investigate a cave while searching for a way out of the woods?

5. What happens to the cow and her calf when they are put in the water to swim to shore? Who rescues them?

6. What stories does a stranger tell the children when he runs across them on the pasture lands outside Falmouth?

7. What does Aunt Hespa tell Dolly and Marguerite to do with the baby to ensure she will not play in the open fire in the main room of the house?

8. What causes some shock and fright as the Sargent family sets eyes on their new farm for the first time?

9. What is a Raising? Why does Caleb tell Marguerite it is important to the family?

10. How does Marguerite become lost in the woods?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following in detail and how each impacts the development of the plot in the early sections of the novel:

1) The physical setting of the novel: Isabella B, the ship

2) The physical setting of the novel: Maine.

3) The time period of the novel: 1743

Essay Topic 2

Who is Marguerite Ledoux? Why is she with the Sargent family? Why did Marguerite come to America in the first place? What did Marguerite's uncle dream they could do in America? What was Marguerite's role to be? What happened to her uncle? What happened to her grandmother? Where did Marguerite go after she was orphaned? Why do many Americans dislike the French? What does Caleb call Marguerite? For what reason?

Essay Topic 3

Who is Joel Sargent? Why has he sold everything he owns for a farm on the coast of Maine? What does Joel hope he can do with a farm? Does he? What does Joel find when he arrives at the farm? Why does Joel not allow his neighbors to talk him out of living somewhere else, such as one of the empty islands in the channel? Why does Joel insist on working his own farm that he paid for? What does this say about his character? How does Joel treat his children? How does he treat Marguerite? Why does Joel offer to send Marguerite away at the end of the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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