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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What was the hardest difficulty for Isabel to deal with during the weeks after leaving Riverbend?
(a) The heat.
(b) The mosquitos.
(c) Ruth's rejection.
(d) The fear of being caught.

2. Isabel, Curzon, Aberdeen and Ruth met some soldiers a few days after Ruth recovered from her illness. What did the soldiers want?
(a) Their money.
(b) To capture them as slaves.
(c) Their cart and donkey.
(d) Their food.

3. What did Ruth take with her from Riverbend?
(a) A map.
(b) A book.
(c) A toy.
(d) A chicken.

4. How did Ruth react to Isabel when Isabel first greeted her after many years apart?
(a) She gave her a hug.
(b) She laughed.
(c) She acted like she did not know Isabel.
(d) She cried.

5. How did Aberdeen feel about Ruth?
(a) He was angry at her.
(b) He loved her.
(c) He was jealous that she had a family.
(d) He thought she was foolish.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following describes Ruth's reaction to Isabel's arrival at Riverbend?

2. What chronic disease did Ruth have?

3. When Isabel and Ruth parted ways from Curzon and Aberdeen in Williamsburg, what did they look for?

4. In the beginning of the novel, where did Isabel think her sister Ruth was?

5. What advice did Isabel receive from the short serving woman she met on the main street of Williamsburg?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Ruth call the donkey Thomas Boon?

2. After leaving Riverbend, Isabel stated that Curzon was growing more short-tempered by the day. What did she think was the cause of his change in mood?

3. How does Anderson begin each chapter in Ashes?

4. What did Isabel believe was the worst thing that slave owners did to slaves?

5. Why did Isabel want people who saw her and Ruth wandering around town to think they were slaves?

6. Why did Aberdeen know Ruth better than Isabel did?

7. Why did Isabel say to Curzon, “I know better than you what the pain of fire can do a person” (66)?

8. Why did Isabel see when she looked at Ruth through "a stranger's eyes" (91) in Chapter XVI?

9. Why did Isabel cry when talking to Serafina?

10. How did Curzon help ease tensions upon their arrival at Riverbend?

(see the answer keys)

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