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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 does Ann find when she goes to pray?

2. Why does Ann think she needs to go back to the house?

3. What makes Ann think about Edward all of a sudden?

4. What does Ann again realize she would not like as a career?

5. What frightens Ann when she is playing the piano for him?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Ann at first amused by Mr. Loomis' actions but then becomes concerned?

2. Why does Mr. Loomis become angry and what does Ann decide to do?

3. What do Loomis and Ann discuss concerning the fertilizer?

4. How is Mr. Loomis using Faro?

5. What does Ann discover about the tractor, and what does she do?

6. What does Ann finally piece together about Edward and Loomis?

7. What does Ann observe the next day as she is watching the house and what does she think about?

8. What does Ann ask Mr. Loomis to use and what is his response?

9. What happens to Mr. Loomis at the opening to Chapter 10?

10. Why does Mr. Loomis frighten Ann as she is playing the piano?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

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

Z for Zachariah belongs to the literary genre of apocalyptic fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly define the term genre and offer examples of it from your own reading experience. Why do you think it is useful to categorize fiction into genres? What could be a disadvantage of doing so?

2. What do you think is the main motivation for a person to read an apocalyptic novel? Is entertainment a good enough reason? Are there any other reasons to read this genre? What? Explain fully.

3. In "academe," apocalyptic novels are often thought of as less literary than some other genres and for that reason are sometimes "snubbed" in the study of literature. Why do you think this is so? Do you agree with this "snobbery"?

(see the answer keys)

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