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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. Where does Leif decide to bury Little Carl?

2. How long after the dark ship leaves do men in Leif's camp get sick?

3. How old was Leif when he and others were left in an isolated fish camp where a small river came into the sea?

4. In "Whales," instead of being afraid of the orcas, what does Leif consider them?

5. In "Whale Song," what parts of the fish does Leif use when he makes soup?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Leif led to the island where he decides to bury Little Carl?

2. Who is Little Carl?

3. What do the sailors search for in their boats?

4. In "Mother Waters and Brother Whales," what is the breathing that Leif senses?

5. What does Leif see in "Whales"?

6. In "Wind Music," how does Leif chase away depressive thoughts?

7. In "Whales," where do the whales push/lead Leif?

8. When Leif becomes old enough to walk, what does he become?

9. In "Whales," what happens when Leif laughs while he watches the young whales?

10. What happens to Leif when he is orphaned?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Leif’s story is about his survival on his own. How do the events in Northwind help Leif grow and mature in the book? What role does learning have in his growth?

Essay Topic 2

Leif buries Little Carl and builds a cairn over the body. What do the burial rituals Leif follows reveal about how Leif perceives death and about Norse burial rituals?

Essay Topic 3

Imagery is a literary device authors use to describe something using the five senses to help readers experience what a character is experiencing. How does Paulsen use imagery to help readers imagine the world he has created in Northwind?

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