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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. Why has a local reporter come by to interview Shaw?

2. What has Shaw's mother, the wife of influential senator Johnny Iselin, arranged?

3. Senator John Iselin sneaks into a regularly scheduled press conference given by the Secretary of Defense, and very loudly proclaims what?

4. How does Marco change Shaw's whole world?

5. Who gives Raymond Shaw the medal?

Short Essay Questions

1. What will Raymond Shaw be receiving?

2. What is learned about Eleanor in this flashback? How does Raymond feel about this?

3. What happens between Marco and Shaw, regarding Marco's fight with Chunjin?

4. Why do others not like Iselin?

5. What does Lieutenant General Nils Jorgenson do when Iselin brings Marco's plan to his attention?

6. What does Raymond's mother do when she finds out about her son's relationship with Jocie?

7. What happens to Marco one night?

8. How does Raymond end up taking a trip to Europe with his mother?

9. Describe the sanitarium.

10. What does Raymond do when O'Neil insists on throwing a welcome dinner for the Medal of Honor veteran?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the central themes is the idea of man as machine

Part 1) How is man a machine in this story?

Part 2) What are the author's thoughts about this theme, based on this novel?

Part 3) How does this theme relate to real life and life today? Use the text to support your response.

Essay Topic 2

Raymond becomes an assassin.

Part 1) How does this happen? Why does this happen?

Part 2) What is the connection between this and the theme of man as machine?

Part 3) How does he learn he is an assassin? How does he react to this? Why does he react this way?

Essay Topic 3

Iselin becomes an analogue for Joseph McCarthy.

Part 1) Who is Joseph McCarthy? How is Iselin similar to this man?

Part 2) Do you believe the author purposely create Iselin based on Joseph McCarthy? Why or why not?

Part 3) Would a reader need to know who Joseph McCarthy was to better understand Iselin? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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