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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. Lyra and Iorek follow Lord Asriel's sledge tracks but stop at a bridge. Why?

2. How does Lyra create an explosion in the compound's kitchen when she escapes from Mrs. Coulter?

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

4. When Lyra and friends sneak off during a fire drill at Bolvangar, what do they find?

5. After the battle between the two bears is over, Lyra is reunited with

Short Essay Questions

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

2. At the Bolvangar, what do the three girls who wake Lyra up tell her about what goes on there?

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

4. Lyra is traveling in Scoresby's balloon. When Lyra asks Serafina about the future of Lord Asriel, what does the witch, who is flying next to the balloon, explain?

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

6. Describe the battle that interrupts Lyra, Iorek, and the other bears as they chase after the tracks made by Lord Asriel's sledge.

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

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

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

10. Which characters serve as Lyra's motherly and fatherly figures?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lyra lies a great deal, especially to protect herself and others. Compare and contrast the reasons for her lies with the reasons that her parents, Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter, lie and withhold information. Are any of her parents' lies ever justified? Explain and support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Philip Pullman creates a world in which humans cannot live without their daemons, who serve as animal spirit guides. This world is also inhabited by armored bears. Explain how the human-animal interactions and relationships enhance the story. Would the effect have been the same if the daemons were people instead of animals? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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