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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 was to come to the lab where Loomis worked?

2. What does Ann worry about if the stranger is still here in winter?

3. Who returns to the valley?

4. What had the team just completed before the war?

5. What does the man notice in Burden Creek?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ann daydream about as she is picking salad greens?

2. How does Mr. Loomis seem later that evening, and what does Ann give him?

3. Why is the man there?

4. What does the man in the suit do when he finally arrives at Ann's house?

5. What does the man do with his Geiger counter and then what terrible error does he make?

6. What does the man say possibly happened to Ann's family?

7. Why is the valley special?

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

9. Why does Ann bring Loomis into her home?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In chapter 11, Ann pieces together the story of Mr. Loomis and Edward and realizes that Mr. Loomis likely murdered Edward. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think you would have done when caring for Loomis and learning he had likely murdered someone?

2. Does Ann seem to take the situation seriously? Does her response seem to reflect a greater maturity than the typical 15 year old or about the same as the average 15 year old?

3. Would you have confronted Mr. Loomis as soon as he was able to interact? Would you have confronted him at all? Ann waits until she is leaving the valley--do you think that is the best course of action?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. Discuss five literary devices that occur in Z for Zachariah and how they are used. Are they effective? Do they add or detract from the reading of the book? Why or why not. Some possible techniques: Allusion, connotation, denouement, dialogue, flashback, figurative language, motif, metaphor, narrator, point of view, simile, mood, and puns.

2. What do you think are the reasons students are encouraged to understand literary devices? Do you think an understanding of the structure of a work of fiction enhances the reading experience? Why or why not?

3. Do you think authors make a conscious effort to include literary devices into their writing? Discuss your answer. Do you think it would be difficult to consciously create metaphor, simile, puns, etc...? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

When one reads any novel (or anything at all), one brings everything from one's own past and present to the novel and in how one responds to what s/he is reading. Discuss the following:

1. How influential do you think a reader's own emotions, education, ideas and experiences influence how the reader responds to a work of fiction?

2. What about your life do you think influences you in reading Z for Zachariah? How does it influence you?

3. Do you think there is only one interpretation for any book? Give a detailed discussion in your response.

4. Do you think fiction can precipitate change in a reader? Is the change usually temporary or long lasting? Discuss your response thoroughly.

(see the answer keys)

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