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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. Lord Asriel explains to Lyra that the name "Dust" was derived from a passage in the Bible reading

2. When Lyra finds Tony Makarios in the fish house, whom does he ask about?

3. When Lyra meets the bear king, she notices that he has a doll that resembles whom?

4. From her hiding place in the Bolvangar, Lyra hears Mrs. Coulter talk about a new separating machine with a blade made of

5. At Lord Asriel's elegant home, Roger is sent to bed while Lyra is

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Iorek take Lyra to the village near the Bolvangar?

2. What does Serafina say when Lyra asks her if she loved Farder Coram?

3. While Lyra is imprisoned in the armored bears' palace, what does she learn about the king bear from a fellow prisoner?

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

5. In what ways is the Bolvangar similar to a school?

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

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

8. Right before the battle between Iorek and Iofur, Lyra asks to meet and speak with Iorek. Why does she do this?

9. When Lyra is with Mrs. Coulter at the Bolvangar, she realizes she is safe only as long as she pretends to know very little of what is actually going on. What does Lyra tell Coulter to throw her off track?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Much to her surprise, Lyra learns that people have heard of her wherever she goes.

1. Summarize instances where people have heard of Lyra. What do they know about her? How do they react when they meet her face to face?

2. Explain how Lyra is the "chosen one" in Pullman's story. How does her destiny guide her path and shape the course of her life?

Essay Topic 2

Time and time again, Lyra is called upon to make difficult decisions and follow dangerous paths. Through it all, she summons an inner fortitude unusual for someone so young. Where does Lyra's inner strength come from? How does it serve her? What gives her courage to go on in the face of tremendous peril?

Essay Topic 3

Despite the starkness of the story, there are instances where the reader feels a deep sense of warmth and comfort experienced by Lyra. Cite three examples of Lyra---and the reader---feeling safe and secure. Why does Pullman include these scenes in The Golden Compass? How do they benefit or enhance the story?

(see the answer keys)

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