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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 does Will find out when he goes to visit Fritz?

2. What picks up the groups of winners?

3. What does Will's master do when he sees Will?

4. What does Will have to change in his master's bed?

5. Where does Will see Fritz for the first time after being chosen by masters?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. When do Will and Beanpole arrive at the Games, who do they see there and what do they do when they arrive?

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

5. How does Will's master relax and what kind of information seems to fascinate him?

6. What does Will find out about slaves at the end of their lives?

7. How does Will get out of the city and who is waiting for him? What does that person do?

8. What do the athletes do when they first arrive in the city?

9. How does Will get to his master's house, what does it look like and where might his master being in the social hierarchy?

10. What is the place like where the female slaves go?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze one major theme of THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD. Consider the following: How does one character's actions portray the theme you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to that theme? Is the theme one that you would call a "universal theme?" If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

2. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD. How does one character's actions portray the themes you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to those themes? Is each theme one that you would call a "universal theme?" If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

3. What benefit is there in discussing and analyzing the themes of a work of fiction? Do you think most authors consciously develop themes in their works? Why or why not? Can there be accidental themes? What do you think is one possible "accidental" theme in THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD? Which theme in THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD speaks to you the most in your life? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book is more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think The City of Gold and Lead is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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