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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. What adornment to his clothing did Max make for the press for the visit from the Feds in Chapter 4?

2. What does John find unique about Tom and Judy's office on Plum Island?

3. What position does Max hold in Southold?

4. What is the strait of water between Orient Point and Plum Island known as?

5. According to Mr. Foster, how many people would be killed by a coffee can full of anthrax being vaporized into the air in Manhattan?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Uncle Harry's house as it is described in Chapter 1.

2. Describe the Gordons' house.

3. How does Dr. Chen explain her job to John?

4. What advice does John give to Sally Hines about the crime scene?

5. What hobby had the Gordons taken up on Plum Island that involved Paul Stevens?

6. Why does John decide to meet Detective Penrose to talk with the man from the Department of Agriculture?

7. According to Dr. Zollner, what was the job description of the Gordons?

8. When John sees the pig dying of African swine fever in Chapter 12, what does it remind him of?

9. Why were Tom and Judy Gordon sometimes mistaken for celebrities?

10. What did the Gordons tell Margaret Wiley they planned to do with the land they purchased from her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Plum Island, a lot of focus is given to the issues of right versus wrong. Using specific characters and situations, discuss how DeMille highlights this dichotomy and specifically how the idea of right versus wrong relates to legal versus illegal.

Essay Topic 2

Duty is a theme throughout Plum Island. Discuss three different character's views of duty and how they are exhibited by their statements and actions. Based on these accounts of duty, does DeMille create an overarching definition of what duty is?

Essay Topic 3

What is DeMille's writing style? Discuss both the mechanical aspect of his writing and his "voice" throughout the novel. Make sure and discuss what literary tools and devices he relies on most and what specific parts of the text reflect his voice.

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