View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did the Nearings describe the stone wall when it was finished?

2. How did the Nearings make applesauce?

3. What level was the kitchen garden in Vermont?

4. Whose ideas of design did the Nearings follow when building their stone homes?

5. Who could "smell a frost coming?"

Short Essay Questions

1. Why were the music sessions a community success? What was different about them that made people want to stay and visit?

2. What were the Nearings' views regarding the roof of structures? What material did they end up using in Vermont?

3. How did the issue of serving liquor at community events affect the valley in Vermont?

4. Who was this book written for?

5. When others thought the Nearings were self-punishing, how did they view their life?

6. How did the cancellation of the mail route in 1945 affect the valley? What did they do? How was this, according to the authors, a positive event for the community?

7. What, according to the Nearings, was the value of compost and mulch?

8. What were Frank Lloyd Wright's basic ideas for building that the Nearings followed?

9. Why did cooperative living fail in the valley for the Nearings?

10. What was the Nearings' view of keeping animals? How far did this belief system go?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why did the Nearings have no fear of age? Think about the age they were when they moved to Vermont. Why did this not bother them?

Essay Topic 2

What was the importance of year-round farming to the Nearings, and how did they handle canning and storing their food?

Essay Topic 3

What kind of people never visited the Nearings? Why do you think that was the case?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 807 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample