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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. What does Amelia consider an intolerable solution to the problem of the mummy?

2. Who does Lucas ask to bring Evelyn and Walter out to join the group?

3. What does Amelia do when she sees Emerson's sadness over the destruction of his work?

4. Who slaps Amelia across the face?

5. What does Lucas criticize Evelyn for when they are sitting on the boat?

Short Essay Questions

1. Once again the love triangle between Evelyn, Walter and Lucas flares up as Evelyn announces she will marry Lucas. How do her friends react? How does Lucas attempt to be sure Walter will never be interested in Evelyn again? What does this tell us about his character?

2. What does Amelia reveal to Walter that causes him to run after Evelyn and declare his love? How does Radcliffe react to his younger brother's impulsiveness?

3. Who comes into Amelia's bed chamber in the middle of the night, and what does the person want? Why are they both still awake? What is the real motive for the visitor's concern?

4. Why does Radcliffe want to speak with Amelia alone? Have his opinions of her changed in the last few days? How?

5. Who appears unannounced and uninvited to see Amelia and Evelyn? How is he greeted by the two women and the Emersons? Is it clear whether he is one of the protagonists or an antagonist?

6. What plan does Radcliffe come up with for the mummy the next evening, and why? What does he hope to prove? How do Amelia and Lucas play into the plan? What change do we see coming over Radcliffe as he makes this plan?

7. What does Lucas offer to Radcliffe as an apology for taking artifacts from the country? How does Emerson respond to the gift, and why?

8. The argument between Lucas and Walter and the subsequent engagement of Walter and Evelyn gives resolution to one of the love interests in the book. The problem of the mummy remains. What is the author doing in this chapter to prepare the reader for the climax of the mystery?

9. The group decide to go along with Lucas' plan for catching the mummy the following evening. What is the plan, and why do the others go along with it? How does the plan backfire and cause more harm than good?

10. Why do Lucas and Walter end up in a fist fight in front of Evelyn? What about Lucas' behavior gives us another clue as to his character and motivations?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Often, mystery writers are accused of withholding information from their readers in order to make it impossible to solve the mystery before the protagonists do. Was all the information needed to solve the case fairly presented in the novel? If you think so, outline some of the important details about the antagonists that were revealed earlier in the story, If not, what pieces of information were withheld, and were they important to solving the mystery?

Essay Topic 2

Amelia explains to the reader that Evelyn is "too kind, and too truthful." She also states "both, I have found, are inconvenient character traits." Is Evelyn indeed too kind and too truthful? Why does Amelia believe these traits to be inconvenient? What is an example of this quality in Evelyn?

Essay Topic 3

Women in the 1880's were not given much opportunity to demonstrate their independence and natural abilities other than as wife and mother. Why does Amelia have the opportunity to travel the world and live independently? What has she done with her freedom and intelligence?

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