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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. The Queen tells Leonidas he should come back either with his ____________ or on his _____________.

2. Leonidas muses that his distant rival, ___________, has already refused the Persian envoy's demands, so he does too.

3. What kind of animal is the boy stalked by as he is sitting in the wilderness?

4. What does Leonidas ask of the soldiers in the Arcadian Greek army in order to refute others who criticize his army?

5. Who leads the force of Arcadian Greeks that Leonidas encounters on his way to battle?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Leonidas have to do prior to beginning a full scale military expedition, according to Spartan law?

2. What is the path of the combined forces of Leonidas and the others who meet up with him?

3. Describe the area in which the ephors live during this second chapter of the book.

4. For how long have the soldiers at the start of this novel been marching?

5. What do the Greeks exult over when they reach the Hot Gates during the violent storm?

6. What does the Queen instruct Leonidas to come back doing as he marches off without explaining where he is going?

7. Describe the weather conditions for the soldiers as they have marched during the beginning of this story.

8. Describe the oracle that Leonidas next confers with after talking with the ephors.

9. What do the other Greek commanders do when they join up with Leonidas and his soldiers?

10. What happens to Stelios as he marches in the weather at the beginning of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The terrain itself in the story seems to be a character in and of itself. From the narrow ledges to the creative names, it too seems to have a place in the story.

Part 1: Which part of the terrain do you think was most important to the story? Why?

Part 2: What do the names of the lands seem to say about the land as a whole or about the battle taking place?

Part 3: If the land were to be more generic, how might this have affected the story as a whole?

Essay Topic 2

The bravery of the Spartans is seen from the very beginning of the battle with the Persians.

Part 1: How do you think the bronze armor helped the bravery of the Spartans?

Part 2: Do you think that all of Leonidas' army is as brave as he thinks they are? Why or why not?

Part 3: What might make a soldier true to his army? What makes a soldier brave enough to fight?

Essay Topic 3

Some of the people in the Persian army are driven ahead, only by the lashes of a whip.

Part 1: Do you think pain or fear of pain is a good enough reason to fight well for an army?

Part 2: What are some other ways that the soldiers in the Persian army could have been motivated?

Part 3: Why do you think the soldiers lashed the soldiers during the battle?

(see the answer keys)

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