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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. When did a man from Sulphur Creek tell the protagonist about the dangers of being wet in the cold?
(a) Last summer
(b) That month
(c) Last fall
(d) Last spring

2. What does the protagonist drop in the snow as he attempts to build his second fire in Part V?
(a) The matches
(b) The birch bark
(c) His watch
(d) His knife

3. What does the protagonist plan to remove by the fire to dry in Part IV?
(a) His coat
(b) His footgear
(c) His hat
(d) His watch

4. Which word from Part V means adequate for the purpose?
(a) Success
(b) Sufficient
(c) Apathetic
(d) Wistful

5. Which word from Part V refers to any of the main branches of a tree?
(a) Bough
(b) Twig
(c) Root
(d) Trunk

Short Answer Questions

1. According to the narrator in Part VI, the protagonist’s plan of running until he reaches camp has one flaw in it. What is this flaw?

2. What thought puts the protagonist in a panic as he tries to light his second fire in Part V?

3. Which word from Part V means skillful or artful management?

4. Which word, describing the dog in Part V, means sadly pensive, especially about something yearned for?

5. The protagonist moves on to feed the fire with branches the size of what in Part IV?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the protagonist do after his fire is extinguished in Part V? What danger does he face?

2. How does the theme of “survival” apply to Part IV of To Build a Fire?

3. What is symbolized by the ending of the story and the dog’s actions?

4. What causes the fire to be extinguished in Part V of the story?

5. How does the protagonist’s body respond when he begins to build a fire after falling through the ice in Part IV?

6. What is the mental state of the protagonist as he builds his fire after falling through the ice in Part IV?

7. What does the protagonist envision of his family in Part VI? How does he envision the old-timer?

8. How does the protagonist respond after falling through the ice in Part IV? What happens when he falls?

9. What obstacle does the protagonist face with gathering twigs for his fire in Part IV?

10. What idea comes to the protagonist after his second fire is a failure in Part V?

(see the answer keys)

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