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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. At the Bolvangar, what lie does Mrs. Coulter tell Lyra about Dust?

2. When Lyra and Roger meet with Lord Asriel in his elegant home atop a high crag, what does Roger tell Lyra?

3. How do the bears, accompanied by Lyra, fight against their attackers in Chapter 22?

4. After Tony dies, Lyra discovers that his fish had been taken by

5. After being awakened by Thorold at Lord Asriel's house, Lyra learns that Asriel has taken

Short Essay Questions

1. When Lyra and Mrs. Coulter are reunited at the Bolvangar, what does the woman tell the girl about Dust?

2. After Lyra and Roger go to Lord Asriel's residence in the North, what does Roger say to Lyra about the man?

3. Describe the prison where Lord Asriel is kept in the North.

4. What is the outcome of the battle between Iorek and Iofur?

5. Summarize what Lyra overhears of the conversation about escaped daemons between Mrs. Coulter and the men in the conference room.

6. As children line up to get hot drinks at the canteen at the Bolvangar, what does Lyra reveal to them about her escape plan?

7. At the Bolvangar, how does Lyra contact Roger without attracting attention?

8. When Lyra and the Gyptians are attacked by surprise in the North, Lyra is abducted. Who takes her, and where do they go?

9. What happens after Lyra learns that Tony Makarios, the daemonless child she retrieves, is dead?

10. When Lyra consults her alethiometer under the insistence of John Faa to learn more about the Bolvangar, what details does she reveal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Various individuals and groups in the book have their own agenda.

1. Explain, in detail, how three of the groups or individuals depend on Lyra to further their goals.

2. How is Lyra able to stay on her own mission and complete her job when so many different factions want so much out of her? Support your answer with examples.

Essay Topic 2

1. Describe the primary characteristics of these groups of beings in Pullman's story: Gyptians, witches, Tartars, armored bears.

2. List the strengths and weaknesses of each group.

3. For each group, cite one instance in which a characteristic of the group benefits Lyra's cause.

Essay Topic 3

Using examples from the book, explain how the author weaves the themes of power and betrayal into the story. What characters and episodes represent the misuse of power? How are people affected by this misuse? In each example, which characters try to rectify the situation? How? Do they succeed?

(see the answer keys)

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