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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. Where was Kingsford Smith later recovered?

2. What is a common story is geologic history?

3. What is the Alice Springs School of Air?

4. What water sport did Bryson attempt but could not maintain?

5. In what type of country does the city of Daintree sit?

Short Essay Questions

1. To what does Perth owe much of its prosperity and who was one of its most prominent citizens and businessmen?

2. What did Bryson note as the reason for the high amount of unique flora and fauna in Australia?

3. What is an echnida and how did Bryson encounter it?

4. What information did Bryson provide about how Australia came to be populated?

5. How does the reader know that Bryson had a good time with his friends Alan Howe and Carmel Egan?

6. For what is Alice Springs best known?

7. What unusual trees are important to Australia and where did Bryson walk among the tree tops?

8. What did Bryson find so fascinating about the stromatolites at Sharks Bay?

9. What was unique about the worms Bryson saw in a small museum?

10. Describe Bryson and Sherwin's adventure at the Great Barrier Reef.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a character study of Bill Bryson. What are his physical characteristics? What are his personality traits? What are his motivations? What are his fears? What else can you say about Bryson?

Essay Topic 2

Give some examples of humor in the book. Do you think Bryson appreciates slapstick humor or wit of a more sophisticated nature or both? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Create a "character" sketch of the city of Canberra. What personality shines through for you for this city? Did Bryson make you want to learn more and perhaps visit one day? What would you most like to see? What is the one fact or interesting feature that you can recall about Canberra? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,053 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample