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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. Who is Catherine's partner during the festivities in February?

2. How does Aelis feel about her marriage?

3. What type of bird does Catherine especially like?

4. What has Edward taught Catherine to do?

5. What does Catherine begin to teach Perkin to do in January?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe some of Catherine's suitors.

2. How has the Crusades affected Catherine's family?

3. What does Catherine imagine about her father in November?

4. Who is Lady Aelis?

5. What does Catherine do during a feast at the end of November?

6. What does Catherine share about Lady Aelis in February?

7. What are some examples of how life was different in the 1200's compared to how they are now?

8. Who are some of the characters that the reader is introduced to early on in the novel?

9. What happens in the hall in February?

10. Describe the Christmas celebrations in December.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the death motif in the novel. Who dies in the novel and how do these deaths impact the other characters? How is death treated during this time period? How do the funerals of Perkin's grandmother and the Queen differ?

Essay Topic 2

What is the genre of the novel? What are elements commonly found in this type of novel? What are some other examples of works of this genre? What similarities do these works share with the novel Catherine, Called Birdy?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author of the novel, Karen Cushman. What other works has she received recognition for? Is her work usually similarly-themed? Does she always write in the same genre?

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