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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 exhilarates Caputo after the Hoi-Vuc village wipe out?

2. What are SLJOs?

3. What is it that Captain Neal wants from the platoon?

4. How does the paperwork in the adjutant's office appear to Caputo?

5. What is Colonel Nickerson's interest during this time?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is the chaplain upset?

2. What is so frustrating to Caputo during the trial?

3. Why does Caputo order the village fired upon by white phosphorus shells?

4. Describe the Marines in Caputo's dream platoon.

5. Why does it take so long to launch Operation Long Lance?

6. Why is the old Vietnamese man lucky the night of the interrogation?

7. Coming across a clearing, how does Caputo manage to get to the other side?

8. What effect does Colonel Nickerson have on the morale of the Marines?

9. Why does Caputo volunteer for the line?

10. What are some of the contradictions Caputo itemizes about the war?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discomfort is never pleasant. Using the book, write about some of the worst situations in terms of comfort and express your opinion about how well you would deal with them. Some examples you might use are the leeches, immersion foot, sleeping in several inches of water in a foxhole, trying to sleep with large artillery going off all night, having only C Rations to eat, etc.

Essay Topic 2

Do a creative writing piece in which you are a private or corporal in the military, sitting in a cane field at night, listening to the moans of fellow military men because the Medivac helicopters cannot get to you and the company medic has no morphine for the pain. Be sure to express your deepest feelings and frustrations.

Essay Topic 3

Write a paper on the need of many men to prove their manhood. Express your opinion as to why this is something Caputo mentions several times in the book. Besides war, what are ways some men choose to prove to themselves that they are real men? Express your opinion as to whether such behavior is necessary.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 650 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample