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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. Why does William agree to skin the male badger when Burton suggests it?

2. How much money does Burton say he can make off the male badger's pelt?

3. How does the female badger free herself from the trap?

4. Instead of resting after the digging project is completed, the female badger begins to do what?

5. In 1806, the North West Company builds on top of what had been Fort Rouge. What is the name of the new fort?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Ben so happy at dinner at the end of Chapter Three?

2. Why does Burton wish to trap on the MacDonald's land?

3. Describe the den the badger creates for herself and her litter.

4. Why does the hawk not frighten the badger while she searches for a site for her den?

5. What happened to the badger's last litter?

6. Describe the process by which the female badger keeps her den clean and the purpose of her behavior.

7. Explain the development of the baby badgers as described in Chapter Four.

8. Describe Ben's behavior when the family goes inside to dinner and he is left alone with the dead badger's body.

9. What reasons does the author give in Chapter Three for why Ben wishes to become a bird?

10. Why does William think Ben isn't normal, as stated in Chapter One?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

William and Esther have very different approaches to dealing with their son's disability. Compare and contrast their methods and examine which method seems to be more effective. Be sure to use supporting information from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Is William a believable pioneer father? At different points in the novel he is concerned about his lack of relationship with Ben. Is this realistic? Given the era, how much of a role is William expected to play in raising the children?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the badger as a symbol of Ben's autism. Does the symbol work? Or does the badger represent something else? Use supporting material from the novel.

(see the answer keys)

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