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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 family name "Falconhurst"?

2. In Chapter 9, "A Growing Menagerie," what unusual food does the narrator convince Fritz to try?

3. What is the narrator's first response to Juno and Turk?

4. How does the family end up alone on the ship?

5. What do they make their swimming belts from?

Short Essay Questions

1. When the children are told of the decision to move to the grove of trees, what is their response and what is it an allusion to?

2. What is convenient about the discovery of the dead shark's body?

3. On the second morning, why are the dogs afraid of Fritz, and how does he win them over?

4. When Fritz and the narrator feel lonely for other people, what does the narrator tell Fritz?

5. In Chapter 7, "Bread," what does the reader learn about the mission of the ship, and why is this so fortunate for the family?

6. When Fritz shoots the margay, how does Ernest react, and what does the narrator tell him?

7. In Chapter 8, "The Pinnace," what do Elizabeth and the narrator disagree about, and what is the outcome of their disagreement?

8. In Chapter 9, "A Growing Menagerie," how does Ernest eventually end up owning the monkey, Knips?

9. In Chapter 7, "Bread," what is convenient about Jack's discovery of clay?

10. How does the family end up on a deserted island?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider the characterizations of the family members that are offered in the book; which family members do you get to know the best and the least? Write an essay that offers a theory about why this is. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims. If you use historical or biographical evidence in your essay, cite your sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 2

What is the thematic significance of the many homes and outposts that the family constructs? Write an essay that describes these and notes their plot significance and then offers an analysis of what thematic idea is supported by this proliferation of "homes." Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you explain the publication history of this novel, including the effects of its translation into French and later translation into English. How has this book changed over the years, and what is the significance of the changes? Be sure to use specific textual evidence to support your claims and to cite in MLA format any outside resources you use in your essay.

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