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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 does Dan proceed to do after Delia's arrival in Act 1?

2. Jean says the women in her family have a history of what?

3. Jean asks Chad if he will move the house when the lake comes in. What is his response?

4. Where is the airport August is going to in Act 1?

5. What is Delia's last name?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the word "excavation" relate literally and figuratively in the play? What is being excavated in both senses of the word?

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

3. Who do we discover is having an affair in Act 1? Who else knows about the affair?

4. Who's character studied books written by Delia in college? How did he/she feel about those books?

5. Who arrives drunk after fishing near the end of Act 1? What is the relationship of these two characters?

6. Where does the character Delia arrive from? Where have her travels taken her? What is her reaction to her new surroundings?

7. How does Chad react to the news of Jean's pregnancy? Why?

8. Where is Dan at the end of The Mound Builders? What is the reaction of the others to this?

9. What is the name of the ancient civilization that is being excavated in the play? What are some of the key characteristics of that society that are mentioned in the play?

10. What does August suggest to Cynthia regarding Delia in Act 1? Who else has dealt with Delia in this way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the legacies of the supporting characters in The Mound Builders? What is Delia's legacy? What is Chad's? What is Jean's?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the characteristics of the ancient civilization being discovered in The Mound Builders. How do these characteristics relate to the characteristics of the characters within the play?

Essay Topic 3

What does the building of the dam signify in The Mound Builders? How does water, rain, and flooding tie into the play both literally and metaphorically?

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This section contains 826 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample