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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 part of a black mamba is black?

2. What kind of battles do male hippos participate in?

3. Where is the black mamba hiding itself?

4. What does Capstick say one crocodile continued to do even after he had shot it in the head?

5. What is the name of Root's cameraman?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the gunbearer, Chagga, do when a hunter receives a spurt of cobra venom in his eyes?

2. Describe the different varieties of mamba snakes.

3. Why does Capstick give rhinoceros hunting less attention than other forms of hunting in the book?

4. Why are hippopotami important to the ecosystem?

5. What does Alan Root describe in his article?

6. Describe the hippo attack on Alan and his wife.

7. How does Capstick track down the crocodile in Chapter 6?

8. What does Capstick do when he finds a large black mamba in the restroom?

9. What makes a crocodile attack so unnerving for observers?

10. What hippopotami are more likely to attack humans?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the animals in the book and examine the myths surrounding that animal in popular culture. What myths are there? How did these myths develop? What is the truth behind the myth?

Essay Topic 2

Look at the structure of the book.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's ideas?

2) Examine the way Capstick uses other people in his book to express his ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Examine the lioness' attack on Len and Jean Harvey. Why do you think the lioness attacks the couple? What effect could such a negative representation of lions have the reader impressions about the animal?

(see the answer keys)

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