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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 Catherine record her thoughts and feelings?

2. What type of bird does Catherine especially like?

3. Who visits Catherine and her family in December?

4. What does Catherine accidentally do to her suitor in February?

5. Who is Catherine the daughter of?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Catherine cry a lot in November?

2. How does Catherine take care of others in January? How does she feel about this?

3. What are some examples of how life was different in the 1200's compared to how they are now?

4. What does Catherine do during a feast at the end of November?

5. What does Shaggy Beard do in February that upsets Catherine?

6. Who does Lady Aelis marry in January? How does George react?

7. What does the Jewish woman tell Catherine when a Jewish group passes through the village? Why does she tell her this?

8. What does Catherine share about Lady Aelis in February?

9. How does Catherine scare off a suitor in February?

10. How did Catherine's parents meet?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe Catherine's family. Who are the members of her family? What are her relationships like with each member? Why does Catherine get along better with her mother and Edward than she does Robert and her father? What does Catherine think of George?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author of the novel, Karen Cushman. What other works has she received recognition for? Is her work usually similarly-themed? Does she always write in the same genre?

Essay Topic 3

What were the Crusades? How were they depicted in the novel? How are Catherine and the rest of her family impacted by the Crusades? How does George describe the Crusades? How does this description compare with Catherine's imagined version of the Crusades?

(see the answer keys)

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