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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. When Holston looks back at the silo from the outside in Chapter 6, “All that stood behind him was a small mound of concrete, a tower” no more than how many feet tall?

2. Upon observing his wife’s state in Chapter 5, Holston considers, “There was nothing left for it but to lock her up, even as he wanted nothing else but room enough to” do what?

3. What color paint is described on the airlock door in Chapter 5?

4. What is Holston described as wearing underneath the outfit Nelson dresses him in, in Chapter 4?

5. For how long after Allison’s cleaning does the narrator say Holston “had waited, buying into her insanity, hoping she’d come back” in the opening of Chapter 6?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Allison tell Holston she will return to the silo in Chapter 5?

2. How is Holston’s behavior outside of the holding cell described in Chapter 5?

3. What surroundings does Holston find himself after exiting the silo in Chapter 6?

4. What instructions does Nelson give to Holston in Chapter 4?

5. How would you describe Holston’s emotional state in the end of Chapter 6?

6. What “forbidden words” does Allison say in Chapter 5? How does Holston respond?

7. What changes take place in the airlock as the time nears for Holston’s departure in Chapter 6?

8. What is the setting and time frame established in the opening of Chapter 6? What is Holston doing in the beginning of the chapter?

9. What does Holston find in the cafeteria in the beginning of Chapter 5?

10. Why is Holston’s entering the holding cell a dangerous action in Chapter 5? Why does he commit this action?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Meaning of Appearances in Wool

a. Throughout Wool, there are clear discrepancies between what is real and what is portrayed as reality. Why do these discrepancies exist? What does Allison discover about these appearances?

b. Discuss the ending of the novel. What does Holston’s discovery mean in regard to Allison’s theories of the silo and its history?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the character of Deputy Marnes in Wool. How old is Deputy Marnes? How well does Marnes know Holston? How would you characterize their relationship?

Essay Topic 3

Love and Loss in Wool

a. Discuss Holston’s relationship with his wife, Allison. How close was their relationship? What were the main conflicts within their marriage?

b. In what ways does Holston’s grief over the loss of his wife drive his actions in the story? What do you think is the singular event that sets off the subsequent events in the story?

(see the answer keys)

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