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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 seems to confound the Nat from the 16th century in his isolation room?

2. About what does Shakespeare congratulate Nat?

3. What play does Shakespeare write after his brief encounter with Nat?

4. With what does Burbage paint Nat's body?

5. How does Nat feel onstage?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Nat ask Shakespeare about returning to St. Paul's and what is Shakespeare's response?

2. How do Gil and Rachel respond to Nat's story about his time in 1599?

3. How does Nat feel before the performance and how does Shakespeare help Nat with those feelings?

4. What interests the company about Nat and Roper and how does Nick Tooley put Nat into an awkward position?

5. What does Nat think is the reason he and the other Nat were not discovered to be impostors?

6. What unexpected thing happens as Nat is acting and what is the outcome?

7. How does Nat please Sam Gilbourne?

8. What does Harry explain to Nat about the political climate of that time?

9. Describe Nat, Burbage and Shakespeare's interview with Queen Elizabeth I.

10. Where does Nat awaken in Chapter 17 and what does he find out?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Susan Cooper uses real historical events and facts around which to weave her work of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think "King of Shadows" qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in the book are historical, what surprises you about the way the events play out?

3. What surprises you about the culture of late 1599 England?

4. What would you like the most about the time of 1599 England?

5. What would you like the least about the time of 1599 England?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss "King of Shadows" based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if "King of Shadows" is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the fact that "King of Shadows" is a teen novel changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Many books are often made into a movie based upon the book. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think you would enjoy watching a film based upon "King of Shadows"? Why or why not?

2. Do you think the subject matter would be more difficult or easier to portray in film versus in the book? Explain your reasoning.

3. Would you allow your high school-aged son or daughter (imagining you have one) to view the film? Explain your answer.

4. How do you think the movie would differ from the book? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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