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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 is Jared's response to Mallory's threats?

2. Who turns on the light in the kitchen while Jared is waiting?

3. What does Simon say Jared better do at night?

4. What is Helen Grace's biggest concern about Jared's activities that morning?

5. What are Mallory and Simon doing when Jared next sees them?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Jared's mother feel about him going to the attic?

2. What does Jared do with the black plastic garbage bag and what does he see inside it?

3. What does Jared think might be in the wall?

4. What do Simon and Mallory think about her situation?

5. What is Jared talking about to Simon when Simon wants to go to sleep?

6. How does Jared answer the accusations, what does Simon believe and what does Jared's mother do to Jared?

7. What does Jared decide to do to calm the boggart and what does he carry into the house? What is his mother's reaction to Jared's load?

8. What is Jared doing that night that surprises Simon, what is Simon doing and what is Jared thinking about?

9. What does Simon look at that Jared shows him and what does he wonder?

10. What does Jared's mother say to him about his anger?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Characters are an important part of what makes The Field Guide interesting. Discuss the following "good" characters:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Jared. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Simon. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Mallory. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

4. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Lucinda. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she always likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

The Field Guide is the first book in a series, called the Spiderwick series. Discuss the following.

1. Discuss two advantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters and having the plot continue from one book to the next. Use examples.

2. Discuss two disadvantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters and having the plot continue from one book to the next. Use examples.

3. Do you prefer to read a standalone book, or books in a series with the same main characters? Explain your response.

4. Do you think it is easier or more difficult (or about the same) to write a standalone book versus one in a series? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 3

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 Field Guide, 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 Field Guide's world that occur in the "real" world but are used differently in The Field Guide's world. Define the words as used in in The Field Guide's 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 Field Guide. 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 Field Guide? What word(s)?

3. Were there any words you never really understood from The Field Guide? Which ones?

(see the answer keys)

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