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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who walks into Karana's camp as she is holding up the skirt she just made?
(a) An Aleut girl
(b) A wild dog
(c) An Aleut hunter
(d) The Aleut captain

2. What does Karana do for four nights prior to sleeping?
(a) Makes more sharp spearheads
(b) Chases the wild dogs away
(c) Tosses stones at the vicious pack leader
(d) Goes to the flat rock to sleep in safety

3. Why is one of the birds named Tainor?
(a) It is the name of a young man Karana liked.
(b) It is the name of an ancient tribal chief.
(c) It is the name of a small sailing ship.
(d) It is the name of the small dog Karana once owned.

4. How does Karana know Spring has come?
(a) The sea elephants return to the beaches.
(b) The kelp turns black as the devilfish spray.
(c) The sky is full of small, black, darting birds.
(d) The sun is warmer on the headlands.

5. What does Karana place in Rontu's grave?
(a) She buries him with her black, stone necklace.
(b) She buries him with his favorite bone.
(c) She buries him with dried abalone, and wild berries.
(d) She buries him with sand flowers and his favorite stick.

6. What does Rontu do when Karana asks him to bark at the sea gulls?
(a) He walks over to her, lies down at her feet, and dies.
(b) He looks up and barks for her a final time.
(c) He gets up and barks feebly.
(d) He jumps up like he used to do, and barks.

7. What is Karana doing in the darkness of night?
(a) Making sharp spear points
(b) Watching for movement on the beach
(c) Moving belongings from the house to the cave
(d) Preparing the canoe to flee from The Island of the Blue Dolphins

8. Although this is a happy time for Karana, what does she think about?
(a) The wild dogs
(b) Her friend, Tutok and her sister, Ulape
(c) Her brother, Ramo
(d) The Aleuts who might return

9. After fishing, as Karana climbs the cliff what does she hear?
(a) Thousands of gulls passing overhead
(b) The Aleuts down on the beach
(c) Dogs fighting
(d) Nothing, an eerie complete silence

10. As Karana looks down at the empty harbor, what is she thinking?
(a) She is happy that she can move back to the headland.
(b) She thinks that she finally has the island to herself again.
(c) She thinks of Tutok and all the times they sat in the sun together.
(d) She feels good now that the sea otters will be safe.

11. Why does Karana change Mon-a-nee's name?
(a) She thinks of a name that she likes better.
(b) She gets tired of the old name.
(c) She discovers that the sea otter is really a girl and names her Won-a-nee.
(d) She decides to give the otter a more masculine name.

12. Where does Rontu go on the day he dies?
(a) He returns to the lair where he once lived with the wild dogs and lays in the back of the cave.
(b) He goes to the top of the cliff and looks out at the sea.
(c) He goes to the beach and lies on the sand, letting the water wash over him.
(d) He goes to the back of Karana's house and lies on her robes.

13. What is a stronger feeling to Karana than the happy times on the island?
(a) A wish to be with people, hearing their voices and laughter
(b) The wish to stay where her brother and father are buried
(c) The wish to remain with Rontu-Aru and her animal friends
(d) The wish to keep the sea otters safe from the men on the ship

14. After the ship lands in Coral Cove, what does Karana think about?
(a) She thinks of her ancestors, happy times, and her unfinished canoe.
(b) She thinks about how she can hide from the men.
(c) She thinks about how she can chase the men away.
(d) She thinks of her brother Ramo, Rontu, and Ulape.

15. What is the sound the unknown birds are making that Karana likes?
(a) Screaming
(b) Reep reep
(c) Cooing
(d) Tweeting

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Tainor and Lurai build their nest out of in the spring?

2. Why does Karana decide she needs a new canoe?

3. Why does Karana deny living in the cave when the Aleut girl asks her?

4. What is the biggest loss Karana suffers in the earthquake?

5. What does Karana do to pass the time in the cave while she and Rontu are hiding from the Aleuts?

(see the answer keys)

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