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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 animal does Ish see running in the highway after the virus strikes?

2. After Ish meets the family in Arkansas, the author talks about the fall of mankind. Who does the writer say will truly be saddened by the death of man?

3. In Year Eleven, Molly is the first person to have this happen to her:

4. During the Quick Years, the community tries to start a church. From what "church" does Maurine think Ish gets his ideas?

5. Who does Ish meet when he is loading up his station wagon for his cross-country trip?

Short Essay Questions

1. After the over-population of a certain animal, Ish notices that the larger ones of the species start killing one another off. He decides that the animals are not doing this out of hunger. What does he believe is the real reason?

2. Why are Richard and Robert chosen for the expedition instead of the other men?

3. Where did the Tribe bury Charlie?

4. Why does Jack think that some of the arrowhead materials are better than others?

5. How do the older people treat Charlie?

6. In Chapter 4, the author says this of Milt and Ann that they would "pay the penalty which in the history of the world, he knew, had always been inflicted upon organisms which specialized too highly." What do you think the author means by this statement? How has the author shown the same principle already in the text?

7. To what famous couple could the author be comparing Em and Ish?

8. Is it significant that the author shows all the dependent animals dying first? If so, how is it significant?

9. Who gave Isherwood his name, and why?

10. Jack tells Ish about how they have found great quantities of a certain object, all of which have different pictures. Can you name one of the people in the pictures?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Several times throughout the text, the author makes a point to show Ish finding places that were once inhabited by Indian tribes and other indigenous people. When Ish and Em start to mark out the time, they do it in the same place, and almost in the same fashion, as ancient peoples. How is this significant?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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