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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. During the third attack, what does Nat find smoldering in the kitchen fire?
(a) Birds.
(b) Rodents.
(c) The mattress.
(d) The children’s clothing.

2. What is Nat doing as the story comes to a close?
(a) Smoking.
(b) Crying.
(c) Praying.
(d) Sleeping.

3. After the frightening broadcast, what meal does Nat make to cheer his children?
(a) Beans on toast.
(b) Toasted cheese.
(c) Spaghetti and meatballs.
(d) Grilled hot dogs.

4. Why does Nat worry about the cows during the bird attacks?
(a) They need to be milked
(b) He doesn’t want them to get stolen
(c) They're penned in and cannot escape
(d) The birds are killing livestock

5. What frightens the children enough for Nat to shout at them to “Stop crying”?
(a) The birds pecking at their windows.
(b) The sight of Nat holding a gun.
(c) The sound of their mother shrieking in the bathroom.
(d) The birds burning in the fireplace.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which type of dead bird litters the Trigg farm?

2. During the “special” dinner Nat’s prepared, how many birds break in?

3. What sound fills the room when the news announcement fails to broadcast?

4. If the family lasts through the next attack, what does Nat plan to add to the windows to reinforce his barricade?

5. What excuse does Nat give when the morning news announcement fails to broadcast?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the radio music change during the attacks, and what does this signify?

2. When Nat leaves the house for the first time to gather supplies, what does he notice about the birds?

3. Why does Nat feel a sense of admiration for the birds?

4. During the final attack, what does Nat wonder about the birds’ mindset?

5. How does Nat feel about the army sending reconnaissance forces to battle the birds?

6. What is the droning sound that the Hockens hear during their dinner, and why does it stop?

7. What is Nat doing as the story comes to a close?

8. Why does silence fill the Hocken house after the third attack, and what does this mean?

9. Why does Nat decide to take his family with him to the Trigg farm in search of supplies?

10. What does Mrs. Hocken chide Johnny about during dinner in the story’s final section, and why is this ironic?

(see the answer keys)

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