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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. In Chapter 18, "Repairs and Fortifications," what creatures does Fritz poison in large numbers?

2. In Chapter 18, "Repairs and Fortifications," what "moist secret" (284) does Jack bring back to Rockburg?

3. In Chapter 18, "Repairs and Fortifications," what clever way do the boys find of communicating across distances?

4. In Chapter 10, "Changing Seasons," what does Ernest train Knips to do?

5. Why does the narrator think that it is a good idea to keep rabbits on Whale Island?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 12, "Anniversary," how does Franz end up with a large animal to take care of and train?

2. In Chapter 11, "Our Estates," what are the improvements that the family makes to the cave before they move in?

3. In Chapter 13, "Unpleasant Tasks," what reactions does the family have to the dead whale?

4. In Chapter 10, "Changing Seasons," how does the family make a staircase to their treehouse?

5. In Chapter 11, "Our Estates," how do the narrator and his sons make the air in the cave safe?

6. In Chapter 13, "Unpleasant Tasks," what happens to Jack in the swamp?

7. In Chapter 17, "Bounty and Peril," what new method of skinning animals does the narrator devise, and why does he feel it is necessary?

8. In Chapter 16, "A Winged Steed," what is Elizabeth's first reaction to the ostrich, and what does Jack tell her in reply?

9. In Chapter 15, "We Explore Inland," how does Ernest kill the muskrats, and what does he intend to do with them?

10. In Chapter 13, "Unpleasant Tasks," what improvements are made to the cave house during the winter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Choose another castaway story to compare and contrast with The Swiss Family Robinson. Consider plot, setting, characterization, and theme as you explore the similarities and differences. Be sure to use textual evidence from both stories and to cite your sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

Evaluate the ending of this book; how satisfying is the ending, and why? Use specific textual evidence as you make a case for or against the ending of the story.

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