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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. Why did Pa and Patty come galloping into the homestead in Chapter 7?

2. What are the Indians in the house wearing?

3. What does Pa build after he builds the bedstead?

4. What do the Indians make Ma do?

5. What family does Pat say lives three miles away?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Pa not at the homestead on Sunday by suppertime?

2. What does Pa do every morning when digging the well with Mr. Scott and what happens to Mr. Scott in the well one morning?

3. How does Pa and Ma start the house and what happens to Ma as they are building the house?

4. How does Pa acquire mustangs and what are the mustangs’ names?

5. What does the family do after Pa and Mr. Edwards finish the house, except for the roof?

6. What does Laura tell her Ma she wants to see relating to Indians and what does Laura’s Ma tell her?

7. What does Laura tell her Pa about Jack and the Indians and what is his response?

8. How does Jack appear at the camp on the prairie?

9. Why is Laura worried about crossing the creek?

10. How does Pa begin to construct the fireplace?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pa's gamble of settling early in Indian territory does not pay off. After receiving conflicting information for several months, the family learns of the government's decision that the white settlers must leave the Indian territory; they will be removed by force if necessary. Pa will not wait for this indignity, so the family leaves.

Compare the ways in which the Ingalls have to leave the home they have built because they have encroached on Indian land to what happens to Indians when they are made to move by the government. Use examples from Little House on the Prairie to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss what you think are the characteristics of a successful novel and why Little House on the Prairie is or is not a successful novel based on your criteria. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults?

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven or action driven? Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why? Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character are developed to the same degree? Why or why not? What type of plot do you think Little House on the Prairie is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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