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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. Where is John Field from?

2. What instrument does Thoreau use to watch the war more closely?

3. What dramatic event occurs while Thoreau lives at Walden Pond?

4. What does the poet say is the greatest thing he has seen today?

5. What date does Thoreau leave Walden?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the poet with whom Thoreau has a conversation at the beginning of the chapter?

2. Why does Thoreau admire the 'wild men' who go ice-fishing on Walden Pond?

3. Why does Thoreau describe wood as a precious commodity?

4. How does Thoreau feel after he witnesses the ants battling?

5. Why does Thoreau 'visit' particular trees?

6. What does Thoreau learn from his experiment?

7. What game does Thoreau play with the loon?

8. What does Thoreau think John Field's future holds?

9. What did Thoreau use as an excuse to carry a gun?

10. Who was Brister Freeman?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay explaining the impact Walden had on one of the following: Literature, art, psychology and philosophy.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay explaining the opportunities and hardships immigrants faced in the United States in the 19th century. Do present-day immigrants have better opportunities now? What is the American dream, and is it possible to achieve it?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay describing the benefits/drawbacks of the Industrial Revolution. Be sure to address:

1 - Key inventions that allowed society to progress.

2 - Some of the issues and drawbacks of the revolution.

3 - What the world would be like if the Industrial Revolution had never occurred.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 835 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample