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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 does Charlie promise Thomas?

2. What is the first thing Thomas thinks about from his past?

3. What happens when Thomas' father yells at him to run when a tree is falling down?

4. What does Molly tell Grandma Wolf?

5. What does Thomas say Big Joe used to eat?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the boys' situation change for the better after the Colonel's wife dies?

2. What happens to Bertha?

3. What happens when Thomas and Charlie arrive at school on Thomas' first day of school?

4. What happens when the Colonel arrives at the cottage the morning after Charlie steals Bertha?

5. How do Charlie and Thomas thwart Grandma Wolf's attempts to get rid of the mice?

6. Who searches for Big Joe and where do they find him?

7. How does Thomas' father die?

8. How do Molly and Charlie gradually become distanced from Thomas and what is Thomas' response?

9. Why is the punishment not so bad and how do the boy mark the end of their punishment period?

10. Of what does the dead crow remind Thomas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character and wonder if they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Private Peaceful help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Private Peaceful? Why or why not.

3. Choose one specific incident in Private Peaceful to discuss and compare one of the characters' response to how you think you would respond.

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Michael Morpurgo.

2. What in Morpurgo's background may have helped him in writing Private Peaceful? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Private Peaceful, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in Private Peaceful. (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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