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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. In "November 28 More Flies," how does the the author attempt to rid his cabin of flies?

2. What is the mood of the people as they stock up for a big storm in "March 13 Storm Warnings"?

3. The author visits his son's school in __________________.

4. In "January 20 Coyotes," what is the man, which the author just happens upon, doing?

5. The author describes the awakening life in what chapter?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is taking place in "March 13 Storm Warnings"? Why do the people act and feel this way?

2. What observations does the author make in "May 15 Weeds in Huckleberry Bog"? What might be the significance of this?

3. What does the author realize about the ravens in "December 23 Ravens"? How does this affect his behavior?

4. Describe "April 20." Is the author's life a simple one? Why or why not?

5. What does the author think of himself and his students in comparison to other people? Do you agree? Why or why not?

6. How do Stuart's classmates respond to his father? How important might their reactions be to how he perceives his father? Why?

7. How does the author feel about the mice and flies? Why? How does this compare to how he feels about other animals?

8. Describe the author's dreams in "April 2 Dreams." What might these mean?

9. Describe the author's smelting trip with Bill. Do you agree with their conclusion? Why or why not?

10. How important are these fishing expeditions for the author? Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author keeps records of his experiences for one year in the woods of Maine.

Part 1) Describe these records. Why does he want to do this? Why does he decide to spend a year in Maine? Do you see this as a beneficial experience? Why or why not?

Part 2) How did the author change throughout this year? What caused these changes? How might the author have been permanently affected by his experiences in the Maine woods?

Part 3) What have you learned from the author's experiences during this year? How might you benefit from this? Has reading this book changed you? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

At several points in the book, the author describes and discusses various memories.

Part 1) What are these memories? What leads him to describe and discuss these memories? What does he say about these memories? How do they pertain to his life now?

Part 2) What are some of your most vivid memories? What are the triggers for these memories? Why? How do these memories compare to reality? Are these accurate memories? Why or why not?

Part 3) How are memories important to people around the world? What role does memory play in one's culture? What can memories reveal about the one to whom they belong?

Essay Topic 3

The author observes the seeds blowing off of a maple tree.

Part 1) Describe this observation. How is he affected by this observation? How does this affect his view of mankind?

Part 2) What other observations encourage him to contemplate other aspects of human life? Explain.

Part 3) What has happened in your own life that has made you take notice of the quality of human life and mankind's abilities? How has this affected you? How does it compare to the author's observations and revelations about mankind?

(see the answer keys)

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