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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 “special” dinner Nat’s prepared, how many birds break in?

2. What had Mrs. Trigg attempted to use to fight off the birds, to no avail?

3. How many children do the Triggs have?

4. What does Nat do with the Triggs’ bodies before returning home?

5. After turning off the wireless, what time do the children finally fall asleep?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. How does the Hocken family respond to the six o’clock news announcement?

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

9. Why doesn’t Nat feel bad about stealing supplies from the Trigg farm, and how much does he gather?

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

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 2

How does "The Birds" reflect the theme of "man versus nature"? Do you believe this is the dominant theme in the story? Why or why not? If so, provide examples from the story which support your point. If not, explain what theme is dominant in the story. Provide examples to support your point.

Essay Topic 3

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?

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