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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 does Thorin take as armor and weapons from the hoard of Smaug's treasure?

2. Who sit beside Thorin at the high table after Thorin proclaims himself as the descendant of Thror, King Under the Mountain?

3. What type of bird brings Bilbo and the dwarves the news of the dragon's death?

4. Who carries the wooden casket holding the Arkenstone to the parley with Thorin?

5. What is the most common building material used in Laketown?

Short Essay Questions

1. What details are given in Chapter 11 as hints to an alert reader that the one chance of finding the keyhole is about to present itself?

2. What effect does the sight of the treasure have on the dwarves?

3. Describe what the Master of Laketown is like in your own words.

4. Why does only the Black Arrow shot by Bard manage to kill Smaug while all other arrows are harmless?

5. What advice does Roac the raven give to Thorin in this Chapters 15 & 16?

6. What reconciles the forces of the men and elves, and the dwarves in Chapter 17?

7. How is the treasure divided after the battle is won in Chapter 17?

8. Why does Bilbo give the Arkenstone to Bard the Bowman?

9. Why does the dwarves' imprisonment turn out to be a lucky accident?

10. Explain the meaning of the ambiguous or riddling answers Bilbo gives to Smaug to avoid revealing his name to the dragon (and thus giving the dragon power over him)?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When an author has a large number of characters involved in most of the action of the plot and usually appearing as a group, giving individuals within that group can be difficult. How has Tolkien managed to make the dwarves into distinct characters? Are any of the dwarves "undistinguished" and lacking in individuality?

Essay Topic 2

In building his fantasy world, Tolkien has used fantastic or imaginary elements as well as familiar and real-world elements in order to make his world believable.

Part 1. List and describe some familiar and real-world elements that appear within The Hobbit.

Part 2. List and describe the fantastic or imaginary (magical) elements that appear within this book.

Part 3. Evaluate whether Tolkien has managed to integrate the fantastic with the everyday successfully or not.

Essay Topic 3

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

(see the answer keys)

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