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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 farming begins to spread farther west, the land reverts from farmland to ________.

2. What comes out in the early evening, closely followed by several types of songbirds?

3. In "Bedrock," the author gives a ___________ history of the region.

4. Giant piles of gravel, steep ridges, and ponds are all evidence of ___________.

5. The author notices the trees and flowers blooming and climbs up into _______________ where he has built a lookout to observe the natural world.

Short Essay Questions

1. How are trees a good source of energy? What can the reader learn from this?

2. How is the author like Jack? Why?

3. What takes place in "The Time of Birdsong"? Why is this important to the author?

4. How might the author's annual rendezvous be important, especially this year?

5. What is the purpose of "Beginnings"?

6. What does the author learn about living simply in his first two months?

7. How does Jack act like other ravens? How does the author predict this?

8. How is "October 26-30" an important chapter?

9. What is the geologic history of the region? Why might the author give this information?

10. Describe the author's relationship with Jack. What does this reveal about the author?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author takes his son to the county fair.

Part 1) Describe their time at the fair. What do these events reveal about the culture of those who participate in the county fair? What do the author's reaction and his son's reaction reveal about them?

Part 2) Why does the author tell of his trip to the fair? How is this trip related to other events described in this book? What else does the author do with his son? What do these activities reveal about each of them and their relationship with each other?

Part 3) How are fairs an important part of the American culture? Why are they still important today? What does this reveal about Americans today?

Essay Topic 2

Much of the activities in the woods have to do with survival.

Part 1) Describe the activities of the author and other creatures. How are they necessary to survival? What parallels in behavior can be seen between the author and the wild animals? Why?

Part 2) What activities do you do that are related to survival? Are those activities based on instinct or on the way in which you were raised?

Part 3) How is survival a theme in this book? What does the author say about this theme? Why does he say this? What does this reveal about him?

Essay Topic 3

At several times throughout the book the author describes and discusses the history of the land.

Part 1) Describe this history. Why does the author tell his readers about the history of the people of Maine, as well as the geological history of the area? Is this important information for the story? Why or why not? How is this information connected to other aspects of the story?

Part 2) What else does the author study during his time in the Maine woods? Why does he study this? How is this study, as a whole, an important part of the author's time in the Maine woods?

Part 3) How is studying a part of your everyday life? How does this affect you? How can you benefit from studying? How can people, in general, benefit from studying?

(see the answer keys)

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