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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. Which character says, "The natives get restless at night. The dogs raid the hen houses?"

2. From where does Delia ship a trunk to August and Cynthia?

3. Which character is raised and taught by his/her grandmother?

4. Where on the set do the projections appear, according to the stage directions?

5. Whom does August say Cynthia believes herself to be when speaking to the recorder in Act 1 Part 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. Which character's father was a physiologist? Describe the father's office from the perspective of that character.

2. What does August say blinds a man "to the passing moon?" What does he mean?

3. Which character has a history of miscarriages in his/her family? How has that affected this character?

4. What fact about Jean's character does Dan ask that August not reveal to the others early in the play? Why?

5. Early in Act 1, Kirsten hears a noise in the night. What does she hear and who comes to comfort her?

6. In the opening of the play, August speaks into a tape recorder. To whom is he speaking and why?

7. What takes place in the falling action of The Mound Builders?

8. 'If you save a man from drowning, you're responsible for him the rest of his life.' Who quotes this proverb in the play? In regards to whom?

9. Describe the relationship between Jean and Chad. Why does he show her the model in Act 1?

10. In the end of Act 2, Part 3, August repeats the word "nothing." What does this imply?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does the discovery of the God-King mean to August? What does it mean to Dan? What does it mean to Chad? How is this discovery important to the plot of The Mound Builders?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the character of Delia in The Mound Builders. What is her purpose to the plot of the story? What does she know about the actions in the play that the other characters are not aware of?

Essay Topic 3

Define the term "motif." What is the motif in The Mound Builders? How does this motif relate to the characters in the play?

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