Chapter XII: Brute Neighbors Quiz — Walden Pond

by Henry David Thoreau

Comprehension Quiz: Chapter XII: Brute Neighbors

What dilemma does the Hermit face in the opening dialogue?

  • Whether to move back to the village or stay at the pond
  • Whether to continue his spiritual meditation or go fishing with the Poet
  • Whether to write poetry or work on his garden for the day
  • Whether to visit Concord or remain in solitude at the cabin

What does the wild mouse do when it grows familiar with Thoreau?

  • It steals food from his pantry and hides it under the floor
  • It climbs his clothes, runs along his sleeve, and nibbles cheese from his fingers
  • It brings other mice to nest inside his cabin walls
  • It follows him on his walks through the woods to Walden Pond

How do the young partridges react when a human approaches them?

  • They fly away immediately in all directions at high speed
  • They squat perfectly still, resembling dried leaves and twigs
  • They follow their mother in a single line into the nearest pond
  • They puff up their feathers aggressively to appear larger

To which classical warriors does Thoreau compare the fighting ants?

  • Roman gladiators fighting in the Colosseum for sport
  • Homer's Myrmidons, Achilles, and Patroclus from the Trojan War
  • Spartan soldiers defending the pass at Thermopylae
  • Viking berserkers raiding the coasts of northern Europe

What historical event does Thoreau connect to the ant battle through its date?

  • The Mexican-American War and its territorial aftermath
  • The passage of Webster's Fugitive-Slave Bill and the slavery crisis
  • The California Gold Rush and westward expansion
  • The founding of the transcendentalist community at Brook Farm

How does the black ant survive the battle under Thoreau's tumbler?

  • It retreats and hides in a crack in the wooden chip
  • It severs the heads of both red ants but is left terribly wounded and crippled
  • It calls for reinforcements that arrive through a gap in the tumbler
  • It kills one red ant and forms a truce with the other

What strategy does the loon use to evade Thoreau on Walden Pond?

  • It flies to the far shore and hides among the reeds
  • It dives underwater and surfaces far away, always choosing the widest expanse of water
  • It swims rapidly in circles to confuse Thoreau's rowing direction
  • It hides behind other waterfowl to blend in with the flock

What happens when the loon utters its prolonged howl at the end of the chase?

  • Other loons arrive and surround Thoreau's boat menacingly
  • A wind rises from the east with misty rain, obscuring the pond surface
  • The loon takes flight and disappears over the treetops permanently
  • Thoreau finally catches up to the loon and touches its feathers

Which of the following events actually occurs in "Brute Neighbors"?

  • Thoreau captures and keeps the loon as a pet at his cabin
  • Thoreau examines fighting ants through a microscope on his window-sill
  • The Poet refuses to go fishing and stays to meditate with the Hermit
  • A bear wanders through Thoreau's yard and destroys his woodpile

Which of the following does NOT happen in this chapter?

  • A wild mouse eats cheese from Thoreau's hand inside his cabin
  • A partridge leads her brood past Thoreau's windows from the woods
  • Thoreau successfully catches the loon after a long pursuit on the pond
  • Thoreau is given a pair of "wings" from the legendary winged cat of Lincoln

What does "internecine" mean as Thoreau uses it to describe the ant conflict?

  • Occurring between members of the same family or group
  • Mutually destructive, causing heavy losses to both sides in a conflict
  • Lasting for many years without a clear resolution or victory
  • Fought in secret without the knowledge of outside observers

What does "pertinacity" mean in the sentence "They fought with more pertinacity than bulldogs"?

  • Excessive cruelty or savagery toward a weaker opponent
  • Stubborn, unyielding persistence and refusal to give up
  • Swift, agile movements that make it difficult to escape
  • A pattern of fighting in organized ranks or formations

What does "coeval" mean in "Such an eye was not born when the bird was, but is coeval with the sky it reflects"?

  • Smaller or less significant than something else nearby
  • Having the same age or origin; existing from the same time
  • Reflecting light in an unusually vivid or brilliant manner
  • Gradually changing over time to match its surroundings

Comprehension Quiz

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