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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 is Dr. Kylmer?

2. Where does her parents say they are going first in their explorations?

3. What does Loomis say about the night the bombs fall?

4. Where has Ann been on the morning of the opening of the book?

5. What does Ann do later in the day without Loomis?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Loomis manage to survive on his long journey walking from New York?

2. How does Ann describe the newly-arrived stranger?

3. How does Ann become inspired to make a salad?

4. What does Loomis say about his activities the night the war breaks out?

5. What does Ann worry about when she discovers that Faro has returned?

6. Why does Ann bring Loomis into her home?

7. Why does Ann decide to go down to the farm yard and what does she discover?

8. Why doesn't Ann think the arriving stranger is in a car and what does she think about what he is bringing?

9. What does Ann hear Loomis saying in his dreams and what does Ann think about what she hears?

10. Why concerns Ann about the approaching stranger?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

As the novel progresses, Ann feels that Loomis is more and more controlling of their lives. Discuss the following:

1. Discuss and analyze two scenes when you think Loomis is being controlling. Is Ann right to be defensive?

2. How much of Loomis' controlling is based upon the fact that he is considerably older than Ann? Do you think it is a legitimate thing that he, being much more knowledgeable about many things, should make more of the decisions?

3. How much of Loomis' controlling is based upon the fact that he is a male? Do you think Loomis would be as controlling of another man as he is of Ann?

4. Do you think Ann's assessment of Loomis' mental health is accurate? Why or why not? Discuss fully with examples.

Essay Topic 2

Ann watches the progress of the stranger and begins to worry that it might be someone who means her harm. Ann decides to hide all evidence of her existence by burying her garden and releasing her animals, then climbing up to a cave in the hills over her valley. Discuss the following:

1. Does it seem likely a fifteen-year-old girl would retreat from what is likely the only other human being in her surroundings for miles?

2. If you were Ann, would you adopt the same procedure to observe the person from afar for awhile? Do you think it would occur to you to do this?

3. How likely is it that the approaching human would harm another human who may be his/her only way to interact with someone else?

Essay Topic 3

Many readers of a book such as Z for Zachariah place themselves in the position of someone like Ann, wondering about what their response would be in a similar situation. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Z for Zachariah help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Z for Zachariah ? Why or why not?

3. Choose one specific incident to discuss and compare Ann's response to how you think you would respond.

(see the answer keys)

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