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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. Who comes on the t.v. to talk about the radiation accident?

2. What would Nyla have to do if the wind shifts?

3. What do the teachers and principal monitor?

4. How does Munice interpret Nyla's reluctance to talk?

5. Why does Nyle refuse Muncie's invitation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Nyle see as she approaches the farmhouse and what might it foreshadow?

2. Describe Ezra's response to Nyle when she comes to read to him.

3. What happens that demonstrates one minor theme in this book--that is, not accepting people for who they are?

4. The issue of a drawn curtain occurs in this chapter, in previous chapters, and in future chapters. How does this issue come up in this chapter and venture a guess as to the significance of the incident.

5. What is evidence of Ezra's continue improvement?

6. What does it mean when Nyle looks at all of her treasures and realizes that if the wind shifts, she will have to leave them all behind?

7. Contrast the back room how it was used when Nyle is small versus in the story now.

8. What is ironic about Ezra's feeling about the back room?

9. How does the emotion of anger appear in this chapter?

10. What emotion do you think Muncie is feeling as she inquires why Nyle did not come study with her the night before?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In chapter 11, Ezra says he feels like a phoenix and how good it feels to be alive. Answer the following questions by writing a cohesive essay using specific examples and details to illustrate your stance.

1. What is a phoenix? From what culture does the image of the phoenix come?

2. The image of the phoenix occurs in chapter 12 and chapter 21, both in relation to Ezra. Analyze how the image is used in both places and discuss how you think the phoenix is a good image for Ezra.

3. Knowing that Ezra dies in the end, so in a sense he does not rise from the ashes as a phoenix does, how does that inform the title of this book? How could the symbol of the phoenix apply to Ezra at the end of the book?

Essay Topic 2

The contrast between Mrs. Trent's (and Ezra's as well) background and that of the sheep farmers is obvious in this chapter when Nyle notices several contrasts between her and Mrs. Trent. Answer the following questions by writing a cohesive essay using specific examples and details to illustrate your stance.

1. What are the contrast that Nyle notices?

2. Do you think Mrs. Trent feels the contrast as greatly as Nyle does? Why or why not?

3. What do you think a possible theme suggested by the scene when Nyle notices her hands compared to Mrs. Trent's? Can you find threads of this theme elsewhere?

Essay Topic 3

In chapter 4, the girls are reading in their English class is about death. Muncie asks Nyle if she thinks the refugees should have left the mountain or not. The two girls differ in their opinion. Perhaps it is this difference of opinion that compels Nyle to not "dare" tell Muncie about Ezra. Answer the following questions by writing a cohesive essay using specific examples and details to illustrate your stance.

1. Many people seem to think they can "catch" radiation poisoning from people who have it. Can they? Or is this just an excuse to not deal with something that most people would want to forget?

2. Up until now, it is easy to blame Nyle more than Muncie for the rift in their friendship, but do you think Muncie's attitude justifies Nyle's hesitation? Or do you think Muncie would "deal with it?"

3. Do you think it is realistic to think the people on the mountain would have stayed there and suffered certain, horrible death? Would you be willing to have strangers in your home who may be dying from radiation poisoning? Even if it could not affect you physically?

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