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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 kind of illness does Will's master have?

2. What are the buildings in the city shaped like?

3. What happens to Will after his action in question #173?

4. What concerns Beanpole about his loss?

5. What does the answer in question #139 do to Will's master?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What does Fritz tell Will he saw that indicated where the Tripods might live?

3. What does Will's master tell him about how they conquered Earth?

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

5. What do Will and Fritz do when they see each other for the first time since entering the city?

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

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

8. When Will returns home after a long errand for his master what does he find out when he gets there?

9. Why do Will and Fritz talk about how to get out of the city, what do they think is the best way and what concerns Will?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Whenever reading a science fiction or fantasy novel, one must become familiar with new terminology that explains concepts or technology that is not a part of the "real" world. In the case of THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD, much of the setting is familiar to the reader, though there are new ideas and terms to learn. Discuss the following:

1. Find five terms that are a part of THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD world that occur in the "real" world but are used differently in Will's world. Define the words as used in in THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD world and compare those five words as to how they are currently used in the American English language.

2. There are ways of learning about a new world or time when reading a science fiction or fantasy novel. Discuss the ways you were able to understand the world of THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD. Did you have to look up any words? What does it mean to learn a word through its context? Do you have to do that in THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD? What word(s)?

4. Were there any words you never really understood from THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD? Which ones?

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

Will and Fritz volunteered to "go behind enemy lines" in order to learn about the Tripods. This is courage, doing something in spite of fear.

1. What is courage? It is defined in the dictionary as: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. How is courage demonstrated? Given what you have seen of Will why would one call him courageous? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. Discuss two situations, one during war and one during peace in which a great deal of courage would be needed to endure the situations.

3. Discuss the two sides to the following: Courage can be learned. One is either born with courage or not.

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