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. How many cats were sitting by the fire where Will was sleeping on the island?

2. Why did Will, Henry, and Beanpole travel together?

3. What does Beanpole convince Moritz to do when Ulf hasn't returned by evening?

4. How does Will get out of his predicament?

5. Begin their journey to the games?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Will forced to do in his journey to White Mountain?

2. How do the boys implement Beanpole's idea?

3. How do Will and Beanpole get food as they walk and what idea does Beanpole have about getting food? How did that work out for them?

4. Why do the boys want to win in their sporting event?

5. What does the person the boys see do and what do they ask him?

6. Why are Will, Henry, and Beanpole working so hard and at what are they working?

7. What kind of swimmer is Will and how does Beanpole help him?

8. About what do the boys argue and what do they decide while on the river?

9. Where does Will go to look for Ulf and what does he buy there?

10. What does Beanpole think might have happened because the barge was gone?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In The City of Gold and Lead, the main hero is a male, as in a large percentage of novels. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think novels more often have a male hero than a female one?

2. Do you believe there are girls as capable (or more so) than Will or Fritz? Would the novel be as interesting to you if a girl were was one of the human spies? Why or why not.

3. Do you think females (in the real world) are just as likely and capable as males to be heroes? Why or why not.

4. Would you rather read a book with a male or female hero or do you have a preference. Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

Beanpole saves Will's life a third time by cutting the mask off his face and allowing him to breath. While Will is brave and determined, he has two friends whose intelligence and strength have made his mission a success.

1. Discuss the differences between Will's maturity and Beanpole's. Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

2. Will's mission is successful because Fritz sacrificed himself and Beanpole never gave up on him. Discuss how having friends help a person with a mission, or work or a difficult situation is always better than being by oneself. Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

3. Discuss the three character traits, intelligence, strength and courage and what you consider to be the most important trait for completing any difficult task. Why did you chose that trait? How might courage, for example, be important but perhaps not enough if a person doesn't have enough intelligence to evaluate the situation?

Essay Topic 3

In the world of academe, science fiction is often considered an inferior form of the novel compared to "classic" literature. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think science fiction might be considered second-rate compared to the classics?

2. Do you think science fiction has the same elements as the classics? Why or why not?

3. What are the purposes do you think for people reading "the classics"? What are the purposed for people reading science fiction? Is one purpose better than another? Explain your response.

4. Would you read science fiction even outside an educational setting? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 996 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample