View a FREE sample

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. While driving home from the farm, whose body does Mrs. Hocken spot, and request Nat drive carefully around?

3. How do Jill and Johnny react to the droning sound during dinner?

4. Which adjective best describes the announcer’s voice during his afternoon broadcast?

5. How many journeys does Nat make between the farm and his home, loading up his car with supplies?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What state are Mr. and Mrs. Trigg in when Nat arrives at their house?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

What signs that something is amiss does Nat notice early on in the story? Why does he notice these things when no one else does? How does Nat's ability to notice these things ultimately affect the fate of his character?

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)

This section contains 824 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample