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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 do the leaves in the garden remind the speaker of in "Tracking the Rain"?

2. How does the speaker in "Heart of the Arctic" know a careless person has been there?

3. What happens when a human comes across the spider too suddenly in "Spider Signatures"?

4. What kind of getups do the new werewolves wear in "Update on Werewolves"?

5. Where do "we gods" preside in "The Twilight of the Gods"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the "defining foliage of the oil age" in the poem "Foliage"?

2. What are some of the speaker's worries in the poem "Oh Children"?

3. What play on words does Atwood introduce in the poem "Plasticene Suite"?

4. Generally, how do the aliens act towards humans in the poem "The Aliens Arrive"?

5. What have many humans lost, according to the speaker in "Improvisation on a First Line by Yeats"?

6. How does Atwood reimagine werewolves in the poem "Update on Werewolves"?

7. Why does the speaker insinuate people are so desperate for rain in the poem "Tracking the Rain"?

8. What is the problem in the old story of the Sorcerer's Apprentice in the poem by the same name?

9. What is the main message in "Heart of the Arctic"?

10. What should have been inside the dead bird instead of plastic in the poem "Midway Island Albatross"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What dual meanings and symbolism does Atwood assign to souvenirs in the poem in Part I by that title? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay exploring the different ways Atwood uses various birds as symbols throughout this collection, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

How does Atwood treat the topic of plastics in Parts IV and V of this collection? Why are plastics so harmful and destructive, according to Atwood? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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