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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. After leaving the trailer, further along the road, what does the father discover?

2. Just when the father is thinking of leaving the cart he sees their destination -- what does he name it?

3. Why is the son becoming increasingly cold?

4. While trying to shelter themselves from the rain, what does the father talk to the son about for a long period of time?

5. The night after the incident with the man on the road, the father has a dream -- what does he dream about?

Short Essay Questions

1. Give an example from Chapter 11 where the father demonstrates his love for his son.

2. Describe the father's belief in God.

3. Explain how the author's descriptions and use of language set the tone for the rest of the novel.

4. Recall from Chapter 5 what the father remembers his wife telling him about his son.

5. Explain how the father demonstrates perseverance in Chapters 16 through 20.

6. Describe how food is constantly a struggle, comparing how the father and son manage their food.

7. After traveling through the mountains, explain how the father knows he and his son have reached their destination.

8. Explain what the father says about the States road.

9. Analyze the son's dream about the toy penguin.

10. Explain how the father is failing his son.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the theme of fear, particularly the father's fear of the boy growing up. Cite examples from the text that demonstrate the father's fears. Why is the father so fearful of the son growing up?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the theme of hope throughout the novel: hope for a better world, hope that there are still good people out there. Give some examples from the text that demonstrate the father and son's hope. How is the story ended with a hint of hope? How can hope for a better tomorrow encourage someone through a hard time?

Essay Topic 3

Explore the theme of death in The Road. How are the father and son dealing with the thought of death? How does the son's view of death compare to the father's? Is the son naive about death?

(see the answer keys)

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