🦊 PAX Pop Quiz: Theme, Word Analysis & Narrative Techniques

Which line best supports the theme that love requires sacrifice?

• “The sharp odors of pine—wood, bark, cones, and needles—slivered through the air like blades.”

• “If he had looked back, he would have seen the boy wrench away from his father and cross his arms over his face.”

• “He stretched higher. There was no sign of his boy.”

• “The fox’s heartbeat climbed and the brushy hairs of his tail lifted.”

The car ride into the woods mainly serves to build (a)   and signal the separation.

What does the father’s “lie-scent” reveal about his character?

• He is calm and honest.

• He is completely unaware of what is happening.

• He is hiding guilt and trying to comfort his son.

• He is confused and frightened.

Peter's final action of leaving Pax behind shows that his love requires (a)   .

How does the author use sensory details to create mood?

• By describing scenery, the author avoids emotion.

• By focusing on dialogue, the author shows excitement.

• By using statistics, the author gives factual background.

• By describing the car’s movement and forest smells, the author builds tension and sadness.

What mood is created by the author’s description of the forest as “green and urgent”?

• • Threatening and alive

• • Joyful and playful

• • Calm and peaceful

• • Dull and lifeless

The throwing of the toy is an act of (a)   for the fox, despite Peter's good intentions.

What does the author’s use of the fox’s instincts (smell, hearing, touch) symbolize?

• • The confusion of childhood.

• • The natural connection between love and instinct.

• • The distance between humans and animals.

• • The danger of trusting feelings.

What best describes the shift in mood from the beginning to the end of the passage?

• • Joyful → Excited

• • Fearful → Relieved

• • Calm → Angry

• • Hopeful → Heartbroken

The word loyalty contains the suffix –ty. What does this suffix mean?

• “able to be”

• “state or quality of being”

• • “without”

• • “against”