Terrible Things Questions

What choices do the animals in the clearing have when the Terrible Things come?

When the Terrible Things come for the rabbits, what do the rabbits do? What choice does Little Rabbit make? Why? What does this tell you about Terrible Things?

How are the Terrible Things described? What verbs are used to describe their actions? How do the descriptions affect your feelings about the Terrible Things?

What kind of excuses do the other animals offer to explain the fate of each group as it is taken away? How do these reactions help the Terrible Things?

How are the Terrible Things characterized?

• They are fun, energetic monsters because the text says that they take animals on adventures.

• They are haunting, mysterious monsters because they take animals and no one knows why.

• They are benevolent monsters because they save the rabbits for last.

• They are unintelligent monsters because they have trouble identifying which animals have feathers.

What choices do the animals in the clearing have when the Terrible Things come?

• Run away

• Hide

• Fight back

• Surrender

When the Terrible Things come for the rabbits, what do the rabbits do? What choice does Little Rabbit make? Why? What does this tell you about Terrible Things?

• The rabbits hide, Little Rabbit stays, showing bravery

• The rabbits run, Little Rabbit hides, showing fear

• The rabbits fight, Little Rabbit surrenders, showing wisdom

• The rabbits surrender, Little Rabbit runs, showing defiance

How are the Terrible Things described? What verbs are used to describe their actions? How do the descriptions affect your feelings about the Terrible Things?

• They are described as gentle, using verbs like 'caress' and 'hug', making them seem kind

• They are described as fierce, using verbs like 'attack' and 'destroy', making them seem dangerous

• They are described as indifferent, using verbs like 'ignore' and 'pass', making them seem harmless

• They are described as curious, using verbs like 'observe' and 'study', making them seem intelligent

What kind of excuses do the other animals offer to explain the fate of each group as it is taken away? How do these reactions help the Terrible Things?

• They blame the weather, which distracts from the real threat

• They claim it's natural selection, which justifies the actions

• They say it's a test, which encourages compliance

• They believe it's a dream, which prevents action

How are the Terrible Things characterized?

• They are fun, energetic monsters because the text says that they take animals on adventures.

• They are haunting, mysterious monsters because they take animals and no one knows why.

• They are benevolent monsters because they save the rabbits for last.

• They are unintelligent monsters because they have trouble identifying which animals have feathers.