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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. What does the oldest brother invent?

2. What is the name of the story's narrator?

3. The new resident is unusual. The boy learns that the man is a/n _____________.

4. Which two characters decide to go off on vacation to get away from their wives?

5. What word is best used to describe the wife in the story "The Jar?"

Short Essay Questions

1. In "The Last Night of the World" several people have the same dream. What is the dream and what is the combined reaction of the people?

2. "Hail and Farewell" tells the story of William, a twelve-year old boy who does not age. Discuss William's unique situation and his solution to the problem of where to live.

3. What is the main issue with Mr. Harris, the protagonist in "Skeleton?"

4. Describe the plot of the story "The Fog Horn."

5. Explain the situation that plagues Timothy Elliot in "Homecoming." Why does Timothy feel like an outcast?

6. Describe the situation of the main character in "The Emissary."

7. "The Veldt" tells a story about the Hadley family. What unusual thing has the family done to their house? What part of the house proves to be the most significant?

8. In "A Sound of Thunder" several people take a trip. Who goes on the trip? What is the purpose of the trip? What negative occurrence happens during the trip?

9. In "There Will Come Soft Rains" a metropolitan area has been destroyed. What happened to the area? What is left behind?

10. "The Big Black and White Game" tells a story about a segregated baseball game. Describe the players on each team.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

It is clear that Bradbury is fascinated by death and corpses. Discuss why you think Bradbury has this fascination and how it is most often used in the stories? Are there metaphors in any other stories that also represent death? Is Bradbury more fascinated with the actual dying or the after life? Why do you think the Screaming Woman was permitted to survive? What other examples can you cite regarding this topic?

Essay Topic 2

One theme in the book is the old adage "Be careful what you wish for." This can be seen in "Silent Towns" and "Marionettes, Inc." in addition to others. Discuss how this choice of theme is a popular one and how Bradbury uses it to relate to his audience. Also give examples of things you wished for, received, and regretted.

Essay Topic 3

Exploitation is another popular theme in Bradbury's work. List at least three examples of exploitation in the stories. Explain in detail the purpose, method, and execution of each story. How many different types of exploitation are used? Explain.

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