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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. Who does Billy think has planted the red fern?

2. Why does Billy end up sleeping under the wagon with his dogs in Chapter 16?

3. Whose bragging helps build Billy's reputation as a hunter?

4. Why do the Pritchard boys refuse to give Billy his money back?

5. What event at the beginning of Chapter 11 prevents Billy from hunting?

Short Essay Questions

1. What warnings do Billy's father and grandfather give him about hunting in bad weather?

2. Describe how Billy's dogs catch the first two raccoons of the final round of the hunting competition.

3. Describe the role Old Blue plays in Chapter 13.

4. How is the "ghost coon" able to evade the dogs?

5. Describe how Billy's dogs catch the three raccoons that put him in the running for the gold cup.

6. What does Mr. Benson tell Billy that concerns him? What does Billy discover is actually true?

7. Describe the exchange that takes place between Billy, Grandpa and the Pritchard boys.

8. How does Papa believe the family's prayers have been answered in Chapter 19?

9. How does Billy's family react to the news of the hunting competition?

10. Years after leaving the Ozarks, what does Billy imagine he would find if he should ever visit the dogs' graves?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Billy grows and changes as a character as the novel progresses. At the same time, he holds to a core set of values. Compare and contrast Billy at several different stages in his development. Be sure to cite examples from the text to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

One of the themes Where the Red Fern Grows address is perseverance. Discuss what the novel has to say about this theme. Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

In Where the Red Fern Grows, a few minor characters have a major impact on the story line. Select one of the following minor characters to analyze: The Pritchard Boys, Mr. Benson, Mama, Papa. Discuss:

1) The personality (character traits) of this character.

2) The relationship between this minor character and the major characters in the story.

3) The impact of this character on the story line: How does s/he influence the overall story line? How would the story be different if this character was removed?

(see the answer keys)

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