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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. Which type of dead bird litters the Trigg farm?

2. Why does Nat worry about the cows during the bird attacks?

3. Why does the character in question 74 think an army attack would be a waste?

4. Where does Nat find the farmhand’s body?

5. What does Nat realize the droning during dinner really is?

Short Essay Questions

1. How has the radio announcer’s voice changed in the 6 o’clock broadcast?

2. How have the farm animals, on both the Hocken and Trigg properties, been affected by the attacks?

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

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

5. What does Nat realize is the force behind the bird attacks, and what does this mean to his survival planning?

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

7. How does Nat use the bird corpses to reinforce his barricades, and how does he feel about this?

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

9. Why does Nat drive through the second gate to his home after leaving the Trigg farm?

10. Who is Jim, and how was he killed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

In your opinion, why does the story have an ambiguous ending? Is this merely to elicit a reaction from the readers, or does the author have a deeper purpose? Is there an entirely different reason? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

What is the initial response toward the bird attacks by the authorities? Why do they respond in the way that they do? What suggestions does Nat have for dealing with the birds? Are the birds ever dealt with? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 762 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample