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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 was the name of the rhesus monkey that was stealing babies from other monkeys?

2. Who sent fruit and vegetable peelings to the zoo to feed the animals in the fall after Warsaw's surrender?

3. What language was illegal to speak in Warsaw during the German occupation?

4. Who did Antonina and Rys stay with when Jan was first ordered to join the army and the zoo was evacuated?

5. What was Jan's cryptonym?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did the Zabinskis frequently invite non-Jewish visitors to the villa?

2. Why was Antonina glad Rys was not with her when she travelled back to the country home after visiting Jan in Warsaw?

3. Why did Antonina initially turn down Lutz Heck’s offer of help for the zoo?

4. How did Antonina describe her friend Magdalena?

5. What made Antonina feel hopeful at first when Lutz Heck came to visit the villa?

6. What was special about the baby elephant Tuzinka?

7. How did Dr. Muller help Jan return to Warsaw?

8. Why did Lutz Heck want to re-create the aurochs?

9. What was unusual about the baby badger that Antonina raised?

10. Why were Jan and Antonina so frightened when they witnessed a trolley being bombed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay discussing the importance of Szymon Tenenbaum’s insect collection. What did the collection say about Tenenbaum? Why was it important to the Underground? What does the collection symbolize?

Essay Topic 2

Ackerman describes the zoo in detail before it is destroyed during the war, and also describes the damage that is done as a result of the war. Write an essay explaining the importance of the way in which Ackerman describes the zoo as the book begins and how the zoo changes as the story unfolds. How do the changes to the zoo affect the people who call it home?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay explaining the significance of the title of the book. Why did the author choose to write about Antonina rather than Jan? How does making Jan the protagonist of the book support Ackerman’s themes?

(see the answer keys)

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