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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. Why did Jan and Antonina think Lutz Heck might help them?

2. What animal did Jan raise at the zoo to feed German soldiers?

3. What did the people of Warsaw gather in the streets to see after Poland surrendered?

4. What was Lutz Heck's profession before the war?

5. What symbol were Jews forced to wear to identify them as Jews?

Short Essay Questions

1. What made Antonina feel hopeful at first when Lutz Heck came to visit the villa?

2. What was unusual about the baby badger that Antonina raised?

3. How did Dr. Muller help Jan return to Warsaw?

4. Why did Wanda and Adam Englert divorce?

5. How did Antonina describe her friend Magdalena?

6. Why were Antonina’s parents killed when she was nine?

7. Why did Jan purposely draw attention to himself when he was thanking Ziegler for bringing him to the Ghetto to see Szymon Tenenbaum?

8. Why did Jan suggest that the zoo be used to raise pigs?

9. What special ability did Antonina have that Jan described as “metaphysical waves”?

10. Why did Lutz Heck hold the shooting part at the zoo on New Year’s Eve?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the animals that shared the Zabinskis’ home. Why does Ackerman write about them? What was their importance to the people at the villa? How does Ackerman use their stories to explain or mirror things that are going on in the human world?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay explaining the author’s choice to write about modern-day Poland in the final chapter. What purpose does this serve? What message does the author hope to leave readers with?

Essay Topic 3

Ackerman describes the zoo in detail before it is destroyed during the war, and also describes the damage that is done as a result of the war. Write an essay explaining the importance of the way in which Ackerman describes the zoo as the book begins and how the zoo changes as the story unfolds. How do the changes to the zoo affect the people who call it home?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 733 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample