View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is one of Dillard's main occupations in the winter?
(a) reading
(b) watching television
(c) sewing
(d) knitting

2. Why did Xerxes stop the advance of his entire army?
(a) to watch a beautiful sunset
(b) to cut a path through a dense forest
(c) to meditate on the beauty of a sycamore tree
(d) to get ready to attack the Greeks

3. Dillard believes that, with indifference, nature hides what?
(a) butterflies
(b) waterfalls
(c) the agony of prey and hunter
(d) wonders from the eye

4. Dillard says the agnostic asks who created the universe. What does a believer ask?
(a) why am I in the universe
(b) why was the universe created
(c) what role does man play
(d) who is God

5. How much of life which has ever been created, is living at the present time?
(a) around 45 percent
(b) 80 percent of all life ever created still exist
(c) about ten percent
(d) about half

6. How does Dillard believe the seeking of God takes place?
(a) God is everywhere but the best place to seek is in church
(b) God is in nature
(c) Singing in the shower
(d) the seeking of God is a continuous loop, which never ends

7. What does Dillard's fascination and stories about praying mantises demonstrate?
(a) she wants to change the way some things are
(b) both her fascination and revulsion of the world of nature
(c) she never saw insects before moving to Tinker Creek
(d) she watches horror movies too

8. In Chapter 2, Dillard talks of a game she played where she would hide what?
(a) pennies
(b) Easter eggs
(c) dimes and quarters
(d) Raggedy Ann dolls

9. Chlorophyll has a single atom of what substance in the center?
(a) hydrogen
(b) carbon
(c) magnesium
(d) zinc

10. Why does the author think nature experiments with insects' shape, form and "niche?"
(a) to see which works best
(b) from boredom
(c) Dillard figures nature will try anything once
(d) because nature is still trying to figure out how to kill off the insects

11. What is the translation of trompes-l' esprit ?
(a) tribulation preceeds victory
(b) till tomorrow
(c) trick of the mind
(d) triumph and agony

12. If you remove the answer in question #86 from chlorophyll, you create a molecule of what?
(a) hemoglobin
(b) chlorine gas
(c) carbon dioxide
(d) water

13. What does she realize is the best way to quiet her mind?
(a) counting from 100 to zero backwards
(b) sitting quietly and breathing deeply
(c) taking a sleeping pill
(d) by offering a nonchalant nod to the presence of words in the head

14. What does Dillard say can be as blinding as complete darkness?
(a) some camp lanterns
(b) a full moon at midnight
(c) a mind that is closed
(d) too much light

15. Why do birds sing?
(a) to signal to other birds
(b) because they like to hear themselves
(c) scientists really do not know why birds sing
(d) to praise the sun

Short Answer Questions

1. Dillard wrote, "the present is fleet." What did she mean by this statement?

2. In addition to form and texture, what does the author believe influences beauty?

3. Dillard sees so much in the natural world which seems paradoxical. Why?

4. What changes about the view around Dillard's home when winter comes?

5. Before a baby can distinguish objects, what kind does it prefer?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 617 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample