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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 do the clan members differ from the girl?

2. What happens while the clan is herding the fish into the net?

3. What most influences the leader to let Iza help the girl?

4. What does Creb find in the cave that seals the Clan's acceptance of the space as their new home?

5. What does Creb want to teach Ayla?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ayla feel about the strange people caring for her?

2. What does the clan do with deformed babies?

3. What is the punishment for a woman who touches a weapon?

4. What do the clan members believe about how babies are conceived?

5. Why does Ayla think she should be able to keep the baby?

6. What did Ayla realize when she kills the porcupine?

7. Why does Brun put off a decision about mating Ayla?

8. Why does Creb take Durc to the other women for nursing?

9. How do the women treat Ayla after she returns?

10. What does Creb realize about Durc?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Creb is sure that the clan is doomed. Write an essay providing evidence to support or refute his conclusion that Ayla's kind will live on and his kind will die out. Use examples from the text. How does Ayla's ideas about how babies are started influence this theme? What role do Durc and his promised mate play?

Essay Topic 2

What makes Brun a good leader? Write an essay exploring Brun's character. Identify three characteristics that you consider good leadership qualities. Provide examples from the text showing the development of that characteristic in Brun. How does each make him a good leader?

Essay Topic 3

Men and women have very clearly defined roles in The Clan of the Cave Bear. Write an essay exploring the women's place in the clan's society

Part 1) What is the women's place in the clan's society? How do the women feel about their position in the clan? Use examples from the text.

Part 2) How does the relationship between Iza and her siblings Creb and Brun demonstrate women's place in the clan? Does she get special privileges for being medicine woman? Does she get special privileges for being the leader's sibling? Does she get special privileges for being the Mog-ur's sibling?

Part 3) Does Ayla's behavior influence the other women of the clan? Use examples from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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