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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 Jason's hometown?

2. What does Jason think is a daunting sight when Jason first sees them?

3. What worries people who are on the boat?

4. Why are many of the people Jason meets heading back to Skagway going there?

5. Where do Jason's brothers live?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Jason get off the beach where the sailors dumped him?

2. How does Jason get his dog, King, and what happens to the previous owner?

3. What kind of fantasy does Jason think about and what does he think his brothers will do about the news?

4. Where and with whom does Jason eat the day he meets Frank Barker?

5. Where does Jason go in Chapter 13, what does he get and what does he do with it?

6. How does Jason keep himself going and what do some people he meets want to know about his dog?

7. What does Jason know about his brothers?

8. What does one have to take to get to Canada and how does Jason manage it?

9. When Jason comes back to Skagway, what are people complaining about, who is head of law enforcement and who is working with him?

10. What does the old man on the train talk about that does not interest Jason much and what does he learn from the old man?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Chapter 8 shows a great deal about Hawthorn's character. Hawthorn cannot stand to see suffering, particularly when it comes about through cruelty. The horses and other animals that are killed or are left to die hurt Hawthorn's heart to the point that he can no longer look, although averting his eyes from the tragic scene is nearly impossible.

1. What does Jason hating the suffering of animals he sees say about what values he might hold? Use examples from Jason's Gold and your own life to support your answer.

2. What do you think are the causes of people being cruel to the animals when it is not really necessary? Use examples from Jason's Gold and your own life to support your answer.

3. What do you think should be the basic rights of animals and the responsibility of humans to those animals? Use examples from Jason's Gold and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Something in Hawthorn breaks when he sees the man drowning his dogs. Hawthorn feels that by standing by silent he is in some way responsible for the dogs' deaths. It is clear to Hawthorn that something has happened to the man, that Klondicitis has caused him to lose his senses just like many others. Hawthorn begins to wonder if he has lost his mind.

1. Do you think Jason is correct that he is responsible for the dogs' deaths if he does nothing to stop them? Use examples from Jason's Gold and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think a student who sees something wrong being done by other students is as guilty as the student doing the act? Why or why not? Use examples from Jason's Gold and your own life to support your answer.

3. There are studies that show that many people who hear or see an act of violence taking place ignore it, to the extent of not even calling 911 on a cell phone. What do you think are the reasons people ignore violence? Use examples from Jason's Gold and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of change. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with change? Why? What are some symbols of change? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of perseverance. Which characters seem to have a great deal of perseverance and which do not? Why? Which characters seem really determined and courageous? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of death. How did the death of Jason's father affect him? What about his dog, King? How was his reaction to both deaths similar and different?

4. Discuss why Abraham and Ethan leaving Seattle without Jason was a type of death for the Hawthorn family. Use examples from the book to illustrate your discussion.

(see the answer keys)

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