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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. In Chapter 15, "We Explore Inland," why does the narrator tell Jack that he must come along on their expedition to explore the island for snakes?

2. What does Franz make with the reeds that his brothers bring him?

3. In Chapter 18, "Repairs and Fortifications," what animals threaten the family's dogs while the boys have them at Woodlands?

4. In Chapter 13, "Unpleasant Tasks," what does the family rename Rock House?

5. In Chapter 13, "Unpleasant Tasks," what creature does the family find on an outlying island?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 16, "A Winged Steed," what does the narrator feel as the boys ride away on their first solo expedition?

2. In Chapter 11, "Our Estates," how do the narrator and his sons make the air in the cave safe?

3. In Chapter 10, "Changing Seasons," how does the family make a staircase to their treehouse?

4. In Chapter 12, "Anniversary," how do Jack and Fritz wake the family, and how do their parents respond?

5. In Chapter 12, "Anniversary," how does the narrator begin the athletic competition, and what is this incident intended to demonstrate about his character?

6. In Chapter 13, "Unpleasant Tasks," what reactions does the family have to the dead whale?

7. At the end of Chapter 18, "Repairs and Fortifications," what construction of Fritz's planning does the family finally find time to work on, and what are the details of its construction?

8. In Chapter 14, "A Casualty," when the sea turtle is towing the pinnace, what do the boys call the narrator, and how does he respond?

9. In Chapter 16, "A Winged Steed," how do the narrator and his sons succeed in catching an ostrich?

10. In Chapter 11, "Our Estates," what new source of potential danger does the family discover, and what do they decide to do about it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Evaluate this story as a reflection of the philosophies of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Which of Rousseau's ideas are being explored in this book, and does the book seem to accurately bring these ideas to life? Be sure to cite your sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay in which you analyze the value of the island in this story as a microcosm of the larger world. In what ways does it resemble the larger world, and in what ways is it an imperfect allegory for the world itself? Be sure to use textual evidence to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you explain how this novel reflects European knowledge about and attitudes toward non-European lands in the early nineteenth century. Be sure to use specific textual evidence to support your claims and to cite in MLA format any outside resources you use in your essay.

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