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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 type of animal begins to invade the city after Ish and Em find one another?

2. How does Ish find Em?

3. In the beginning, how does Ish go about finding other people?

4. Why do Em and Ish decide to keep Princess in the house during the infestation?

5. While driving back home after his cross-country trip, what animals does Ish notice have disappeared?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Ish run away from the column of smoke?

2. Does Ish seem to treat Joey differently than everyone else? Why or why not?

3. What is the author trying to illustrate when he shows how the young men treat Ish if he doesn't answer questions?

4. When visiting the library, what does Joey ask Ish about restoring? What does he see that causes him to ask the question?

5. Who gave Isherwood his name, and why?

6. Does Ish put too much emphasis on above-average intelligence instead of other qualities?

7. What do you think of how Ish paid for the food he received from the family in Arkansas? Was it a fair exchange?

8. What does the author mean when he talks about certain crops and mankind being interdependent? Is he trying to make a larger statement?

9. Why is Ish so concerned about finding people who can "fix" civilization?

10. Are the other Tribe members as dedicated to education as Ish is? Why or why not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

After the first 22 years, Ish suggests, during one of the tribe's meetings, that an expedition be sent out to find other people. The younger generation, including Ish's own sons, decide that Ish and other members of the older generation cannot go for various reasons. What is significant about this event?

Essay Topic 2

At the beginning of the story, Ish is referred to as a person who doesn't do well in social gatherings. Later in the book, Ish decides that he is, ironically, happier than he would have been if things had been normal, but still, he never seems satisfied that civilization hasn't returned to the way it was before. Why do you think Ish never seems to be satisfied? How do you think this affects him, and the fate of the people who look up to him?

Essay Topic 3

At one point, Ish wonders if they should have let Evie live, or if they should have killed her out of mercy, but he decides that none of the people in the tribe are qualified to make that decision. Why do you think Ish would have felt this way toward Evie, and not toward anyone else? Do you think that Ish really has Evie's best interest at heart? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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