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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. Whom does the King marry in Alyce's dream in Chapter 6?

2. What does the woman call the protagonist by the end of Chapter 1?

3. What is said about the midwife's hands?

4. Why doesn't Jane notice the shift in Chapter 8?

5. According to Beetle, why is the midwife's surname Sharp?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

2. What do the villagers dislike about Jane?

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

4. Where does Beetle take the injured cat to recover in Chapter 2? After it is recovered, what does she tell the cat about?

5. What does Beetle do when the miller drags her to deliver his wife's baby?

6. After the miller's baby is born, how does the midwife treat Beetle? Why doesn't Beetle mind her treatment?

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

8. What is discovered in the village one morning in Chapter 7?

9. What forces Brat to be constantly moving from place to place?

10. Where does Brat try to keep warm at the beginning of the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and interpret the character Alyce. What are her defining character traits? What is her role in the story? What struggles or obstacles does she face throughout the novel? Does she grow as a character? If so, how?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Discuss the motif of perseverance in the novel "The Midwife's Apprentice." What are some examples of perseverance in the novel? What are some examples of Alyce's own perseverance?

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