View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Jakkin remind himself about the first color of a dragon?

2. What happens when Red opens her mouth to make a noise?

3. What does Jakkin notice about his dragon's coat the next time Jakkin visits?

4. What happens after Jakkin dons the old shirt he left with his dragon?

5. Why do Jakkin and Akki decide to take the drakk back?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Sarkkhan reveal to Jakkin?

2. What tactic is Bottle O'Rum using and how do Red and Jakkin respond?

3. Who has Akki arranged to carry Jakkin's dragon and what does Jakkin wonder about the man?

4. Describe the fight between Red and Bottle O' Rum.

5. What happens between Jakkin and Akki at the end of the story and what does Jakkin vow?

6. What does Jakkin do as soon as he realizes there is a drakk nearby?

7. Describe the fight between Jakkin and the drakk.

8. What does Jakkin wonder about Akki as the two are walking back to the bondhouse?

9. Why is Jakkin momentarily disappointed when he arrives back to his oasis after leaving the kitchen, but what does he then remind himself?

10. What happens as Jakkin approaches his oasis and why does he trip over his dragon?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dragon's Blood belongs to the literary genre of fantasy fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly define the term genre and offer examples of it from your own reading experience. Why do you think it is useful to categorize fiction into genres? What could be a disadvantage of doing so?

2. What do you think is the main motivation for a person to read a fantasy novel? Is entertainment a good enough reason? Are there any other reasons to read this genre? What? Explain fully.

3. In "academe," fantasy novels are often thought of as less literary than some other genres and for that reason are sometimes "snubbed" in the study of literature. Why do you think this is so? Do you agree with this "snobbery"?

4. Discuss the differences between fantasy and science fiction. How are they alike? How are they different? Which type do you prefer? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Whenever reading a science fiction or fantasy novel, one must become familiar with new terminology that explains concepts or ideas that are not a part of the "real" world. In the case of Dragon's Blood, much of the setting may seem familiar to the reader (i.e. there are woods, mountains, rivers, and oceans), though there are new ideas and terms to learn. Discuss the following:

1. Find five terms that are a part of the world of Dragon's Blood that occur in the "real" world but are used differently in Dragon's Blood.

2. Define the words as used in in Dragon's Blood world and compare those five words to how they are currently used in the American English language.

3. There are ways of learning about a new world or time when reading a science fiction or fantasy novel. Discuss the ways you were able to understand the world of Dragon's Blood. Did you have to look up any words? What does it mean to learn a word through its context? Do you have to do that in Dragon's Blood? What word(s)?

4. Are there any words you never really understood from Dragon's Blood? Which ones?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss Dragon's Blood based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if Dragon's Blood is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the fact that Dragon's Blood as a novel in a series changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,358 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample