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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. Throughout the story, whom does Nat often order to “do what I tell you”?

2. Who offers to drive Jill home from the bus stop?

3. What is Mrs. Trigg’s reaction to Nat’s story about the previous night’s attack?

4. When he sees the birds heading inland, who does Nat telephone?

5. What does Mr. Trigg do for a living?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Nat find irritating about the radio announcer’s voice, and why?

2. During the news broadcast at dinner that night, what insight does the announcer give into the attacks?

3. How does Mrs. Hocken react when Nat starts boarding up the windows and doors?

4. How does Nat fight the birds away from his children during the first attack?

5. What is Nat’s mental state when he returns home from the bus stop?

6. What does Nat think has caused the birds’ strange behavior?

7. What startling sight does Nat see while on the beach?

8. How does Nat protect himself from the bird attack as he runs home from Jill’s bus stop?

9. When do the birds first draw blood from Nat?

10. What supplies do the Hockens have at home, and what does Nat list as necessities to buy the next time he’s in town?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The story's setting in an isolated English coastal town is critical to the plot. Do you believe this is so? If so, how does the setting of the story ultimately affect the plot, especially in terms of isolation? If the setting is not critical to the plot, why not? Explain how setting the story elsewhere would not affect the plot.

Essay Topic 2

How does Nat's relationship with his wife and family differ both before and after the attack of the birds? Why is this so?

Essay Topic 3

Symbolism is an important element of "The Birds." Find three symbolic elements, incidents, or objects in the story. Explain how the elements are symbolic and why they are important.

(see the answer keys)

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