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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. Throughout the story, whom does Nat often order to “do what I tell you”?

2. What wind does Nat claim brought the birds to his neighborhood?

3. Who does Mr. Trigg think has poisoned the birds?

4. At three o’clock, Nat sees that the sky is “colorless.” What does he compare it to?

5. On the story’s first evening, what wakes Nat from sleep?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Nat rush to the bus stop, early, to meet Jill from school?

2. What does Mrs. Hocken think the army should do to battle the birds, and what is Nat’s reaction to his wife’s idea?

3. What does Nat Hocken do for a living, and why does he enjoy it?

4. Who does Nat speak to while at the bus stop, and what is their reaction to his call?

5. What is Nat’s mental state when he returns home from the bus stop?

6. What theory does Mrs. Trigg present as the origins of the strange birds?

7. How does Mrs. Hocken react when Nat starts boarding up the windows and doors?

8. How does Nat fight the birds away from his children during the first attack?

9. How does Nat dispose of the bird carcasses that litter his yard after the first attack?

10. What does Nat find irritating about the radio announcer’s voice, and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Symbolism is an important element of "The Birds." Find three symbolic elements, incidents, or objects in the story. Explain how the elements are symbolic and why they are important.

Essay Topic 2

What is the initial response toward the bird attacks by the authorities? Why do they respond in the way that they do? What suggestions does Nat have for dealing with the birds? Are the birds ever dealt with? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

What signs that something is amiss does Nat notice early on in the story? Why does he notice these things when no one else does? How does Nat's ability to notice these things ultimately affect the fate of his character?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 807 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample