Shelterwood Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, Themes & Connections
Welcome to the Shelterwood quiz. This 20-question test covers the novel's dual timelines, key characters, and central themes. You'll find plot questions, character motivation, thematic analysis, and synthesis questions that connect the 1909 and 1990 stories. After you finish, check the answer key for explanations. For more help, see the book overview, questions and answers, and ending explained.
}## Plot & Sequence (Questions 1–8)
}1. In which year does the modern-day storyline begin?
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A) 1909
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B) 1962
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C) 1990
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D) 2001
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}2. What does Valerie discover in the remote cave at Horsethief Trail National Park? (Short answer)
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}3. Why do Olive and Nessa flee their home in the 1909 timeline?
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A) They are accused of theft.
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B) Tesco Peele threatens them.
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C) They want to find Hazel.
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D) They are escaping Tesco's predatory behavior.
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}4. What happens to the children's camp at the end of the 1909 storyline? (Short answer)
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}5. Who is revealed to be the elderly woman telling the story in Chapter 31?
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A) Hazel Rusk
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B) Olive Radley
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C) Nessa Rusk
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D) Budgie Blackwell
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}6. What does Valerie find in the abandoned Ford LTD that connects to Sydney? (Short answer)
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}7. What is the cause of Edwin's injury?
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A) A bear attack
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B) A fall from his horse
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C) A gunshot wound
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D) A rockslide
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}8. What does Braden and Rachel's evidence cache document? (Short answer)
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}## Character Motivation (Questions 9–13)
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}9. Why does Olive pretend to be possessed by a spirit in Chapter 2?
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A) To scare Tesco away from Nessa
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B) To get attention
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C) To hide her fear
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D) To convince her mother to leave
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}10. Why does Valerie decide to develop the film of the cave bones in Hugo instead of Paris, Texas? (Short answer)
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}11. Why does Sydney come to Valerie's cabin at night in Chapter 23?
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A) She wants to show her a map.
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B) She is injured and asking for help.
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C) She wants to report a crime.
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D) She is running away from Mrs. Wambles.
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}12. What motivates Dewey Mullins to steal the book Treasure Island for Ollie? (Short answer)
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}13. Why does Kate Barnard's crusade ultimately fail?
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A) She loses public support.
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B) The oil kings drum her out of office.
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C) She becomes ill.
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D) She moves away.
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}## Themes & Symbols (Questions 14–17)
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}14. **What does the term