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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. What is Loomis doing when Ann returns home?

2. What does Ann think about in a flashback to right after the war?

3. What is the man wearing who arrives in Ann's sight?

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

5. What does Ann use to gather greens?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the stranger and what was his job before the war?

2. What does the approaching stranger do when he gets halfway across the flat part of the hill overlooking the green valley of Ann's home?

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

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

5. Why concerns Ann about the approaching stranger?

6. What does Loomis say he was developing before the war?

7. Explain why Ann is alone in the valley.

8. What is the situation in the valley about the water supply?

9. How does Ann get the tractor running and what planting decision does she make?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ann rises early and collects greens to make a salad with. As she picks, Ann imagines what it would be like to marry Mr. Loomis. The idea makes Ann happy because she likes the idea of having children of her own. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think it is sane to be thinking about bringing children into a world such as the one in which Ann now lives? Why or why not?

2. In many apocalyptic novels, women are forced to bear children in order to continue the human race. Do you think it is right to force all women of childbearing age to have children regardless of their own personal desires in a situation such as Ann's?

3. Why do you think that most apocalyptic novels have as one of their premises that it is important that the human race survive? Do you agree with this premise? Explain your answer.

4. Assuming there are other areas of the world where humans are unharmed and the environment is radiation free, then does it seem less important that the few people of the United States that may have survived bear children? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Oftentimes, a book is more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not?

5. What type of plot do you think Z for Zachariah is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Z for Zachariah, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements (They may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not.

(see the answer keys)

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