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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. During the third attack, what does Nat find smoldering in the kitchen fire?

2. What does Nat think the army should do to fight against the birds?

3. Between attacks, how is the sky frequently described?

4. After the second attack, how many birds litter Nat’s yard?

5. When Mrs. Hocken hears droning during dinner, what does she think it is?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why happens that leads Nat to realize the necessity of keeping a fire burning in the kitchen chimney at all times?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

What is unique about the past of the character Nat Hocken? How does his past affect him in the present? Does this set him apart from other characters in the story? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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