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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 happens to Jared's candle when he rushed across the room?

2. Where does the dumbwaiter go upstairs?

3. What does Mallory want Jared and Simon to do?

4. What was the little girl and man doing in the picture?

5. Where did the Graces live before moving to Aunt Lucinda's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Jared decide to do with the dumbwaiter, how do his siblings help and how does he fit?

2. What do the children think about who might be in the wall and what does Mallory hear in the dumbwaiter?

3. What does Mrs. Grace say about the previous resident of their new home?

4. What does Mallory tell their mother they are doing and what does Mallory say about Jared?

5. What is the painting Jared sees in the little room on the second floor?

6. What does Mallory tell Simon and Jared about their Aunt Lucinda?

7. What does the front door of the Graces' new home look like?

8. What does Mallory do to the wall in the kitchen and what does she see?

9. What does Jared see the first night when he is startled awake?

10. What does Jared see when he hears a noise and how does he lose his light?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of The Field Guide.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Mom consoles Jared and asks that he find a constructive way to deal with his anger.

1. What are some better ways for Jared to deal with his anger at Mallory without violence? Use examples from The Field Guide and your own life to support your answer.

2. Often times when someone is very angry they cry. What are some other ways that people express anger and how do you express anger? Is the way you express anger similar to Jared? Use examples from The Field Guide and your own life to support your answer.

3. Do you think not listening to those people Jared loves causes his anger or is not listening a result of his anger? How might Jared have been helped if he would have listened to his sister? Do you think the fact that their father left might be some of the cause of Jared's anger? Why or why not? Use examples from The Field Guide and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and sometimes it is 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 Field Guide is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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