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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 is it rumored Ethan paid for Abby's gift?

2. How do Marguerite and Dolly get Joel back to the house after he is injured?

3. What date does Ira Sargent tell Marguerite it will be the day after she has visited Debby's grave?

4. What does Caleb ask Marguerite to take care of in his absence?

5. In part 3, who does Marguerite find preparing for breakfast in the kitchen the morning after the men go to check on smoke at Sargent's Point?

Short Essay Questions

1. What warning is stated in the final chorus of the song Aunt Hespa sings once more during the corn shelling?

2. Why does Marguerite think that Ira Sargent has grown sullen? What does she do about it?

3. What work does Joel take on by himself when Ira and Caleb go away on the Fortunate Star?

4. How does Caleb arrange to travel to Boston on the Fortunate Star?

5. What news do the men bring back from Sargent's Point when they return from checking on the cause of some smoke seen from Sunday Island?

6. Why does Dolly refuse to allow Marguerite to go to Sunday Island to get help? Why does their signal of a white sheet fail to gain notice?

7. How do the Sargents friends and neighbors react when Marguerite dances a French dance?

8. What do the Sargents do to the sugar maple trees that makes Marguerite fear for their survival?

9. Who does Abby Welles say a heartfelt goodbye to when the men leave? What does this say about her choice of suitors?

10. After the Maypole begins to fall apart at the end of Part 4, how does Marguerite finally make the Indians leave Sargent's Point?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Joel Sargent give Marguerite the opportunity to go to French Canada? Where will Marguerite go once she arrives there? Does she decide to go? Why or why not? How do the other members of the family feel about Marguerite's opportunity? Her choice? How does Caleb reveal his feelings to Marguerite? What does the ending of the novel imply about Marguerite's future with the Sargent family? Is this an optimistic ending?

Essay Topic 2

Why is the Sargent family on a ship? Where are they going? For what reason? How much of a risk are they taking by making this move? What could the benefits be of this move? What are some of the dangers? What happens when a storm hits the ship int he middle of the night? What does Marguerite do to help the family? Did she have to do that? How does this action change some of the opinions the Sargents hold of Marguerite? What does this act say about Marguerite's character? About her motivations?

Essay Topic 3

What is a corn shelling party? Why do the Jordans throw one? What do these parties centered around work say about the time period? What type of dance does Marguerite do after the shelling is done? Why do some of the neighbors find it shocking? Why does Aunt Hespa express the opinion that it was a nice dance? What does this dance say about the differences between Marguerite and the people to whom she is bound?

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