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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. With which of the following do the Parts 1 begin?

2. How many shells does George fire to scare the momma bear?

3. What sound does the novel assign to the shattering glass at Nova’s house?

4. Which of the following peoples does George remark calls the polar bear Nanuq?

5. Which of the following floats alongside Natalie in the rooftop shed?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the novel define a red flag warning?

2. Why is Akira initially unable to exit the wrecked car?

3. What does George do to relieve Owen after they escape the momma bear?

4. Why does Lars note “A little fire is good for a forest” (107)?

5. Why are full-grown sequoias called monarchs in the novel?

6. How does Akira posit that the fire has gotten in front of them as she and Sue flee Nova’s house?

7. Why do Natalie and Elena not evacuate Miami?

8. What leads Akira to her assessment of Sue’s injury?

9. What had Natalie and Shannon planned to dress as for Halloween?

10. In what order do those on the boat in the Florida storm debark?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explicate the significance of the name of any one character in the text.

Essay Topic 2

Readerly attention focuses on “the old saying about bears: ‘If it’s brown, lie down. If it’s black, fight back. If it’s white, say good night’” (395). Considering your own reading of the novel, what accounts for the attention paid to the passage? Why might it attract attention?

Essay Topic 3

To what other writer’s work in your experience does Gratz’s seem most similar? What makes the writers similar? What differentiates them? Overall, which do you regard as doing better at the craft of writing, and why?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 518 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample