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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. Why are there no fruits or vegetables in the garden?

2. What lesson does Nathan Price give Leah about why God gave people seeds?

3. Who narrates Book 1?

4. Who greets the Prices when they land in Africa?

5. Who is the first of the Prices to interact with the village children?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some of the superstitions that the villagers have? Why do you think they have these superstitions?

2. What does the family bring with them to the Congo? What troubles did they have in getting these things to the Congo? How did they solve the problem?

3. Who does Ruth May think the Congolese are in Book 1? Who are the white people that Ruth May says are now in the Congo?

4. What happens to Ruth May in Book 2 as she is spying on the Jimmy Crow boys? What does she discover in the events that take place?

5. Why do the people of the village stare at the Prices? Which family member did people used to stare at? Why do you think this person seems more normal to the villagers than the other family members?

6. What happens when the family first arrives in the Congo?

7. Orleanna says that her journey in Africa came to a bad end in Book 1. What do you think will happen that will make Orleanna's journey end badly?

8. Why do you think that Adah chooses not to speak?

9. What does Nathan want to happen on the day of the church picnic? Does this happen? Why or why not?

10. Why does Orleanna go to the Congo? With whom does she go?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the symbolism of the green mamba in the novel? Why do you think Ruth May chose to think of the green mamba instead of somewhere else?

Essay Topic 2

What is the importance of names in the novel? How are names important for people in the novel? What is the importance of naming something wrong in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

In The Poisonwood Bible, Orleanna's narrative looks back in time, while the other characters narrate from the present.

1) Why do you think Kingsolver included one narrative that looks back in time?

2) What does this type of narration add to the novel?

3) Why do you think Orleanna's character is the one looking back?

(see the answer keys)

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