🦊 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 ______ 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 ______.

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 ______ 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”