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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 did Sioned and Engelard name their son?

2. In what condition is Dame Branwen, Peredur's mother, when Father Huw asks Brother Cadfael for help with her?

3. Who changes his mind and allows Peredur to join the procession to St. Winifred's chapel?

4. How does Brother Columbanus die?

5. What happens to the procession bringing St. Winifred's bones to Shrewsbury, as it is raining?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Brother Cadfael believe about St. Winifred when Sioned tells him why she deviated from the plan to get Brother Columbanus to confess to her father's murder?

2. Why should anyone who knows about Brother Cadfael's plan to handle St. Winifred's remains and Brother Columbanus' body not speak of it until the brothers have left Gwytherin?

3. Because the body of a murderer seems to be bringing as many miracles as the bones of a saint, what conclusion can we draw about the connection between beliefs, logic, faith, and miracles?

4. What does Brother Cadfael do to manage Prior Robert when Bened tells of the miracles occurring at St. Winifred's former grave?

5. Contrast Brother Cadfael's thoughts about St. Winifred and Prince Cradoc with those of the community regarding St. Winifred and Prince Cradoc.

6. What is Peredur's confession at Rhisiart's funeral?

7. How does Prior Robert deal with Brother Cadfael's plan to trap Rhisiart's murderer while the vigil is held at St. Winifred's grave?

8. Describe the behavior of Dame Branwen, Peredur's mother, as Brother Cadfael sees her when Father Huw asks him to help.

9. How do Father Huw, Brother Richard, Brother Jerome, and Brother Columbanus fare with Brother Cadfael's plan to trap Rhisiart's murderer?

10. What are the results when Sioned strays from the plan to test Brother Columbanus to see if he killed Rhisiart?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose a situation in the story in which Brother Cadfael acted in a way you disagree with. Describe the situation. Why did Brother Cadfael act this way? What were the consequences of his actions? Why do you disagree with Brother Cadfael's reaction to the situation? How would you have reacted? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Subplots have the same story elements as the main plot of a story. Explain one subplot from A Morbid Taste for Bones: A Mediaeval Whodunnit using exposition, inciting force, central conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Explain how the subplot is connected to the main plot of the story.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 6, Brother Cadfael explains to Bened, "There are holy persons outside orders as ever there are in, and not to trifle with truth, as good men out of the Christian church as most I've met within it."

In Chapter 9, Brother Cadfael explains to Father Huw, ". . . both men and women partake of the same human nature, Huw. We both bleed when we're wounded."

Explain the meaning of Brother Cadfael's statements. In what situations in the story did Brother Cadfael make these statements? What do these statements tell us about Brother Cadfael? What is the importance of these statements to the plot?

(see the answer keys)

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