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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 the village Bear and Crispin reach?

2. What does Quinel tell the boy about the boy's mother?

3. Where does the boy go the night after his mother dies?

4. With what does the man threaten Crispin?

5. What does the man the boy does not know do when he sees the boy?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Bear tell Crispin about his childhood?

2. What does Bear tell Crispin he does in his travels?

3. What does Bear make Crispin do in the morning, how does Crispin feel about it and what does Bear begin to teach Crispin?

4. How does the man treat Crispin and how does Crispin feel about it?

5. How does the boy feel about what he is told, and what does he do about it?

6. Who is the man Crispin has agreed to serve, and what does he do for a living?

7. What does Crispin see on the south road the next morning and what does he do about it?

8. Who spots the boy in the forest and what do they do?

9. What does Crispin see when he looks inside a church and what is Crispin asked?

10. What do the two men say about the steward, and how does the boy think about what they say?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in "Crispin: The Cross of Lead".

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of "Crispin: The Cross of Lead". How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of this story. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 3

"Crispin: The Cross of Lead" belongs to the young adult novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the young adult novel genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a young adult novel and a historical novel mystery?

(see the answer keys)

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