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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. Dillard opens this first chapter remembering this animal.

2. What does Dillard find out when she takes her first course in French?

3. According to Dillard, how is the past healed?

4. Where does Dillard makes a pilgrimage to every month?

5. Dillard says there is loveliness and grace throughout creation. What is also there?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Dillard's visit to a horse ranch and what happened.

2. Dillard watches a mosquito feed on a copperhead snake. What does she think of the act?

3. This Chapter is called "Fixed." What are some of Dillard's observations and thoughts that illustrate this title?

4. How does Dillard see as the difference between plant and animal fecundity?

5. Why do the Eskimos hunt in the fall and what can happen if they fail?

6. The first section of Chapter 8 is titled, "Intricacy." What might this title mean and how does Dillard's writing change to reflect this?

7. What is the correlation Dillard sees between time and the search for God?

8. In Chapter 11, Dillard is mimicking a group of people. Who is she mimicking and why? How do you know this?

9. What happens when Dillard tries to stay in the present?

10. Dillard still rails against the seeming cruelty of nature; however, what else is she seeing by Chapter 13?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dillard questions why insects seem so violent. She includes numerous examples and personal observations illustrating what seems to be violent behavior in insects. Describe some of her examples, including the insect's specific behavior and Dillard's thoughts when writing about the insect. Do you agree with Dillard's assessment? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Describe some of the scenes Dillard writes of from winters in her past. What had she observed that was cruel? What that was compassionate? Do you think winter lends itself more to cruel behavior than kindness? Why?

Essay Topic 3

How does Dillard feel about harming creatures? What are some of the incidents from her childhood that helped formed these ideas? Do you agree with her? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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