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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. How much impact on any of the creatures, mountains, or creek around her does the author think she has?
(a) too much
(b) as much as any other creature
(c) she has no impact at all
(d) very little

2. For wild animals, Dillards sees enduring parasitic invasions as what?
(a) the cost of life
(b) a way for animals to die
(c) something deadly
(d) as a blessing

3. What is the muskrat young called?
(a) a kitten
(b) a kit
(c) a baby
(d) a puppy

4. What does Dillard find out about muskrats and humans?
(a) they both like water
(b) they're both nocturnal
(c) if a muskrat is aware of human's presence, it will not appear
(d) they eat the same foods

5. In Chapter 13, Dillard spies a snake. What kind is it?
(a) a copperhead
(b) a coral snake
(c) a brown water snake
(d) a black snake

6. When a mosquito bites a snake, what happens?
(a) mosquitoes carry snake blood to other animals
(b) the mosquito dies from the snake blood
(c) nothing, mosquitoes feed on snakes
(d) the mosquito lays its eggs under the scales

7. What do the Eskimos do with the greens in their prey's stomach?
(a) feed them to their dogs
(b) they never look in the stomach
(c) eat them
(d) throw them in the ocean

8. In Chapter 13, Dillard quotes Van Gogh. What did she quote?
(a) life is not art
(b) it's important to see
(c) life is not pretty
(d) the important thing is to breathe

9. What serves as a catalyst to ready the birds for migration?
(a) the leaves turning colors
(b) lack of flowers in the landscape
(c) catepillers making cocoons
(d) the fall air

10. What would Dillard suggest for food instead of creature eating creature?
(a) manna
(b) bread and water
(c) no one needing food at all
(d) everyone being vegetarians

11. Dillard says if nature is not monstrous, then why does it appear that way to humans?
(a) humans can't see the big picture
(b) humans see only the bad
(c) nature is logical, though a logic humans can't comprehend
(d) it is human's emotional response to nature's illusory horrors

12. Dillard says that if plants had emotions, she would applaud this:
(a) their ability to fly in the teeth of it all
(b) their ability to tolerate other life forms
(c) their willingness to live in harmony
(d) their kindness

13. How does a young muskrat get fed?
(a) the mother brings it mouthfuls of grass
(b) it gets plankton fromt he water
(c) it eats small insects
(d) it eats birds eggs

14. The previous year, what did Hurricane Agnes do in the area?
(a) wiped out all the flowers in the area
(b) dumped enormous amounts of rain
(c) blew a tree down on top of Dillard's cabin
(d) it missed the area, so it did nothing

15. Dillard is sometimes allowed one brief glimpse of a creature. What does she call these glimpses?
(a) pure good luck
(b) her destiny
(c) a gift of abundance
(d) an act of fate

Short Answer Questions

1. The development of science leads to what, according to the author?

2. In Chapter 13, Dillard is still obsessed about nature. In what way?

3. Believing natural disasters were sent by God is an example of what?

4. When Dillard saw migrating Canadian geese fly, speeding across the duck pond, what did she think?

5. What does the author see as somewhat synonymous with the creator, or God?

(see the answer keys)

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