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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. Where is Mallory bruised?

2. What has strange words from newspaper clippings?

3. What does Simon believe about Jared?

4. About what does Jared think concerning mystical creatures?

5. How is the children's mother acting as she serves the meal?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ms. Grace think about Mallory's situation?

2. What does Jared ultimately find in the trunk?

3. What does Jared ask Mallory about her hair and what are Mallory's private doubts?

4. What is the most upsetting thing about the problems downstairs and what does Jared's mother accuse him of concerning Simon's mice?

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

6. What is the attic like?

7. What phrase is Jared thinking about in the poem, and where does he decide to go?

8. How does Mrs. Grace feel when she wakes up Jared in the morning and what does she show him?

9. What wakes Jared in the morning, where does he run, what does he see and who else is there with him?

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

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

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

Most protagonists are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and Jared is no exception. Discuss the following:

1. Trace and analyze situations when Jared demonstrates his intelligence and courage. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze Jared's character flaws offering specific examples of these flaws in your discussion.

3. Discuss how you think Jared's admirable traits makes him able to help with many of the problems the children face. Have his flaws impacted his life? Do any of his siblings notice these flaws? Who? How does the reader know this?

(see the answer keys)

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