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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 Miss Greythorne read to the children who have gathered at the manor for safety?

2. Instead of presenting Will with a story, what does Merriman tell Will the book will provide for him?

3. According to Merriman, what do the hounds of doom eat?

4. According to the book of Gramayre, what is one of the five birds that can see the Dark?

5. Who betrays Merriman and shapes the course of Will's quest?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the importance of the Walker's whereabouts being revealed to Will by a rook--an animal of the Dark?

2. Who is Mr. Mitothin, and who is he really?

3. What significant acts occur during the late night of Christmas Day?

4. Why does Hawkin betray Merriman and the Light?

5. Why does the Dark have another chance to attack the Light?

6. Why does Will feel torn during the Joining of the Signs section?

7. Why is the Dark's strike at the king's burial ship fitting?

8. What does Will do with the third sign when he gets home?

9. Why is the rain significant to the villagers and to Will?

10. What does Will learn about the snow and its links to the Dark?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Signs are instrumental to Will's mission and to the Old Ones' attempt to keep the Dark from rising. Define the importance of each sign's origins (wood, iron, bronze, fire, etc.) and their elemental significance.

Essay Topic 2

Why is the act of catching someone out of time symbolic of being out of the loop or being frozen, suspended in time? Why is this power useful to Will and the Old Ones?

Essay Topic 3

How is the symbolism of the Light and the Dark portrayed throughout the novel, The Dark is Rising?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,159 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample