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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. When Matt reads Robinson Crusoe to Attean, which word does he change?

2. When Matt's father says, "Aye, it's yourn," what does the word "aye" mean?

3. What does Matt make for his guest and himself to eat?

4. After the cabin break-in, what food does Matt find that he is particularly tired of?

5. What does Matt think of the difficulty of climbing the tree that has bees in it?

Short Essay Questions

1. What specifically causes Matt's accident and pain?

2. In Chapter 11, the reader comes upon the explanation of the title of the novel, "the sign of the beaver." What is the sign of the beaver?

3. What does Matt reveal in the narration that reveals how sensitive he is to being without a gun?

4. How does Matt deal with his disappointment in not hitting the red squirrel that he sets out to kill for food?

5. Why is the absence of the rifle so terrible for Matt?

6. How does the story of Robinson Crusoe become more than a reading book for Attean and Matt?

7. Why might Attean be so uninterested in learning to read and write the English language?

8. Explain why the reader senses that Matt's rescuer is kind and that Matt is safe.

9. Explain how Matt's appetite might be considered the impetus for the action of Chapter 5, when he is attacked by bees?

10. How does Matt's father's teachings help Matt when he is alone?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Until Matt read Robinson Crusoe to Attean, it was just the story of an adventure. What does Matt himself learn from reading Robinson Crusoe through Attean's eyes? How does the book ultimately become an educational tool for Matt?

Essay Topic 2

The Sign of the Beaver is a piece of historical fiction. The basic dilemmas of Attean and his people were the dilemmas and tragedies of the native Americans in the times of westward expansion. What do you think of the author's decision to have Attean and his people leave before Matt's family could meet them?

Essay Topic 3

Much of Matt and Attean's time is spent preparing to hunt, talking about hunting, or actually hunting. What is there about hunting that brings out all the aspects of friendship that must be dealt with before actually becoming friends?

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