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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. What are the buildings in the city shaped like?

2. What is Will determined to do at the end of the book?

3. How does Fritz do as the games continue?

4. In Chapter 8 what does Will's master do when he comes home?

5. What shape is the car in which Will goes to his master's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are the athletes given to masters and how does Will's situation go in that event?

2. Where does Will keep notes and how does he hide them?

3. What happens when Will's master uses more as bubbles than usual? Why is Will worried?

4. How does the first part of the competition go for the boys?

5. Why did Will have to pick his master up at work early?

6. How does Will manage to see Fritz again?

7. What happens as soon as Will arrives at his master's house?

8. How does Will learn more about the city and what does he see?

9. What kind of tasks must Will do for his master?

10. What does Will's master decide is their relationship and what does he ask Will? What is Will's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Though this novel is probably more action driven rather than character driven, obviously there are several characters who make the novel what it is. Discuss one of the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Will and Fritz. Include their goals, sense of honor, abilities, and social skills.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Fritz and Beanpole.

3. Thoroughly analyze the character of Will discussing both his strong and weak points and how both affect the outcome of the plot.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Will discovers that the atmosphere is difficult for humans and the air completely incompatible with human life. This causes humans to suffer and age quickly, making them unable to survive inside the city for very long, which might suggest why no one has ever come out of the Tripod cities. It also does not bode well for Will and Fritz who have just become slaves to alien Masters.

1. Slavery has been in existence since the earliest records of humans. Discuss the disadvantages of slavery to a society and to a culture as a whole.

2. Discuss the advantages of slavery to those in power and (possibly will need research) why slavery became a part of human civilizations.

3. Discuss the symbolism between the air the Tripods breath being incompatible with human life and the fact that the Tripods' presence on earth have created a world of slaves who are under absolute control. Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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