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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 does Beetle often sit while a birth is taking place?

2. What season is it in Chapter 4?

3. What does Beetle take to the cat at the end of Chapter 2?

4. What does the merchant tell Beetle when he gives her the comb for free?

5. Why does the midwife sometimes refuse to help an expectant mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is there a strange abundance of in Chapter 4?

2. What does Will tell Alyce after she rescues him from the river?

3. Where does Alyce hear frightening noises coming from in Chapter 8? What do they turn out to be?

4. What does Beetle discover and is ordered to keep secret in Chapter 4?

5. After helping Will deliver the calves, what changes for Alyce in Chapter 8?

6. In Chapter 7, what do the 'Devil's footprints' lead the villagers to on Old North Road?

7. In Chapter 8, What does Will instruct Alyce to do to help the cow deliver? Why is Will especially pleased when the delivery is over?

8. What does Brat do for the woman in Chapter 1, and what does she receive in return?

9. Why doesn't Brat dream while she sleeps?

10. What happens one day while Alyce is telling Purr about the delivery of the twin calves?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the motif of cruelty in the novel. What are some examples of cruelty in the novel? Are these examples of cruelty aimed at Alyce? If so, how is she affected by them?

Essay Topic 2

What is the genre of the novel? What are elements commonly found in this type of novel? What are some other examples of works of this genre? What similarities do these works share with the novel "The Midwife's Apprentice"?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and interpret the character Jane Sharp. What are her defining character traits? Describe her relationship with Alyce.

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