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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. How many kittens does Dick's cat leave behind after the squall at sea?

2. Who saves the kittens trapped by the cord?

3. Who primarily trades with the East for rhubarb?

4. What does Wilhelmina say that the Lady is like?

5. How does Marion feel at first about sending Ben to special ed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the cat's former owner say when Dick Whittington offers to share his fortune?

2. How does Bernie react to finding the new animals in the barn after the livestock auction?

3. What does Dick notice about the cat while the operation is going on?

4. How did Mary's husband die?

5. What does Dick do in memory of his cat after the cat disappears?

6. In what way does Ben pet Whittington, and how does Whittington respond?

7. How does Ben react to the prospect of being sent to special ed classes?

8. What did Dick Whittington spend his fortune on in his last years?

9. What happens to Gent when autumn arrives?

10. What does the tabby from down the road bring to the barn?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The central characters of the novel are animals. Discuss this aspect of the story.

1) How are the animal characters in the novel similar to human beings? How are they non-human?

2) Why does the author choose talking animals as central characters? What do these animals show the reader about humanity and life as a human?

3) How is Dick Whittington's cat portrayed differently than the other animal characters? Why?

Essay Topic 2

The characters in the novel have different types of adventures. Discuss the role of adventure in the novel.

1) What kinds of adventures does Dick Whittington have in the novel? What do the characters learn from Dick Whittington's adventures?

2) What types of adventures do the animals in the barn have? How are their adventures different from the stories about Dick Whittington?

3) What role do adventures play in the novel? How do they contribute to its structure? How do they affect the reader and characters?

Essay Topic 3

Ben learns to take control of his life through his experience in the barn and the stories about Dick Whittington. Discuss the idea of taking control of your life in the novel.

1) How does Ben take control of his life? What does he have to do, and how does he have to change?

2) How does Dick Whittington take control of his life? How does Dick's example help Ben?

3) What things are in and out of the characters' control in life? What can characters take control of, and how can characters deal with things they can't control?

(see the answer keys)

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