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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. Who rescues Gemmy from the mob?

2. What does Gemmy do with the hunting ferrets one night when Willett passes out drunk?

3. What impresses Gemmy about Mr. Frazer?

4. How does Lachlan feel when he visits Gemmy at Mrs. Hutchence's house?

5. What does George give Gemmy instead of his papers?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Lachlan's relationships with the other settler children change over time? What causes this change?

2. Describe the event that caused Willett's death.

3. How does Lachlan's relationship with Gemmy change over time?

4. Describe the mob's attack on Gemmy.

5. Why doesn't Jock ask Gemmy to leave the farm after the two incidents in this chapter?

6. What did Gemmy do that affected Janet and Lachlan's lives?

7. How does Gemmy help Mrs. Hutchence with her beekeeping?

8. How have Mr. Frazer's views on botany changed since Gemmy has come to the settlement?

9. How does Gemmy come to be on the island of Queensland?

10. Describe how Gemmy's strength is restored during his visit with the natives.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout Remembering Babylon, David Malouf weaves actual events from history into his fictional story. Select one of the situations where he places his characters within a real historical context and:

1) describe the historical context of the scene or chapter (e.g., What actually happened in history that Malouf uses in the book?); and,

2) discuss the relationship between the historical context and the fictional story. What does this piece of history have to do with Gemmy's/the settlers' life/lives? Why does Malouf choose to place these characters at this particular point in the story in this particular historical context?

Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Remembering Babylon explores ideas about communities. In your essay:

1) describe the different communities presented in the novel;

2) compare and contrast these communities; and,

3) analyze the "health" of each of these communities. Are they communities that support their members? Why or why not?

Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the settlers in this novel. How are each of the settlers similar/different? Then discuss why you think the author presents this variety of characters in the novel. Be sure to cite specific evidence from the novel to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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