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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 is attacking Garnett's apples?

2. What does Deanna tell Eddie is fairly rare to find in the forest?

3. What does Lusa wear to her husband's wake?

4. Besides his family, what was the only thing that Lusa's grandfather brought to the United States from Poland?

5. What is Lusa listening to in Chapter 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Deanna's demeanor, when Eddie leaves, after staying with her for nine days?

2. How does Deanna equate her husband with the typical "male animal"?

3. Why does Lusa feel that her new sisters-in-law do not like her?

4. Why does Deanna physically attack Eddie, in Chapter 7?

5. What is Deanna's main defense of coyotes, concerning the killing of farm livestock?

6. In Chapter 12, Garnett suspects that Nannie has slandered his name. What is the situation?

7. In Chapter 15, Lusa finds she is happier than she has been a long time. Explain this change.

8. What is Garnett's basic persona, when we first get to know him?

9. Why do Cole and Lusa fight a lot?

10. How has Deanna ended up as a forest ranger, studying coyotes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Jewel states, "I have a girl that acts like a boy and a boy that acts like a girl". Cite specific examples from the book that prompt her to make this statement. Do you agree with her statement? Is their behavior that different from "traditional" gender behavior? Does this cause problems for them?

Essay Topic 2

Man vs. nature is a common theme in "Prodigal Summer". Explain Deanna's theory of predation, as it relates to predators and prey. Cite examples that she lists in the book. If predators are killed or die at a faster rate than prey, what are some of the outcomes that she predicts will happen? What could the effect on humans be?

Essay Topic 3

Deanna and Lusa are both strong women, each in her own right. Which woman do you believe to be the stronger overall? Give three examples to support this and explain why you chose one and not the other.

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