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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. To what bodily function do the two compare the mystery of the ducks' purpose?

2. What does Emil think is a crying shame?

3. In the North Country, what might the ducks see here and there?

4. What is a blatter?

5. What happened to the Giant Panda?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do George and Emil worry about for a duck in flight?

2. Why does George talk about symbiosis?

3. Where do Emil and George go to converse, and why?

4. What do the men discover is the trick to duck season?

5. Why do George and Emil support spending money on wildlife?

6. What does Emil predict with happen in the future with disposing of leaves?

7. What cycle must the lead duck go through?

8. What is the significance of George's story about the Giant Panda?

9. Why did the Ancient Greeks watch birds?

10. What has George read about the Stratosphere?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the everlasting struggle between the Blue Heron and the Duck. What is symbiosis? Why are the Blue Heron and the Duck enemies? What has nature provided each of them to survive? How does their struggle epitomize the Law of Life? Why do George and Emil so identify with this? How could this struggle possibly applied to their lives? Use examples from the play to explain your answers.

Essay Topic 2

What are the conflicts faced by Emil and George in The Duck Variations? How do they approach, discuss, and resolve these conflicts? Examine the play's theme of the city and man versus the natural world. How are the two in conflict? How do Emil and George attempt to reconcile this conflict, and in which camp are they? What other universal themes are present in the play, and how do the men approach them?

Essay Topic 3

When Danny and Deborah argue about the shampoo, is their argument really all about the shampoo? Why or why not? How is their power struggle indicative of the time period in the play? What are the larger societal implications of their argument? Reexamine the scene. Point out who has the power at what moment and why.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 670 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample