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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 is mostly transported by river inside the barrels from the people of Laketown to the Wood Elves?

2. How does Bilbo find food while skulking around in the Elvenking's palace?

3. Whose hood and cloak does Bilbo borrow?

4. What does Bilbo try to steal from the trolls?

5. What is the name of the elvenking's butler?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the Wood Elves differ from the goblins in regards to their treatment of prisoners?

2. Why does Bilbo decide to pick William the troll's pocket?

3. How does Bilbo react when he sees Gollum between him and the way out and why?

4. What is significant about Bombur's (and Bilbo's) dreams while in their enchanted slumbers?

5. How do the dwarves and Bilbo manage to escape from the goblins?

6. What does Bilbo discover about his sword and how does he discover this?

7. What do we learn about the goblins and their intentions from the song they sing while dragging the dwarves and Bilbo down to the Great Goblin?

8. Why does Bilbo arrive at the Green Dragon without a hat, walking stick or handkerchief, or anything else for the journey?

9. Why do the adventurers take shelter in the cave in Chapter 4?

10. How do the trees that the adventurers are hiding in in Chapter 6 manage to catch fire?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In his essay "On Fairy-Stories" dealing with the nature of fantasy fiction, Tolkien claimed that every author of fantasy strives to build a believable "Secondary World," where marvels and adventure take place, which has the inner consistency of reality." How has Tolkien managed to make the world shown in The Hobbit believable and consistent? Take at least two of the following into account in your answer:

1. Physical setting

2. The setting in time

3. Attention to detail regarding the natural world

4. Characters

Essay Topic 2

The Hobbit contains a lot of "author talking," where the author addresses the listener or reader directly (often referring to "you and me"). Sometimes, this can be effective, but at other times it can be irritating.

Part 1: Find an example of effective "author talking" and explain why it is effective.

Part 2: Find an example of irritating or distracting "author talking" and explain why this technique should not have been used.

Essay Topic 3

Many locations are described within the world of The Hobbit. Where would you most like to live in this world and why? Are there any disadvantages or downsides of living in the place you have chosen?

Choose from one of the following possible locations:

1. Hobbiton

2. Rivendell

3. Beorn's house

4. Laketown

5. The palace of the Elvenking

(see the answer keys)

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