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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 Talia complete in the next few days?

2. How does Talia clean her clothes at the river?

3. How is Talia treated by people in the villages she passes?

4. What three groups does the Collegium train?

5. How do most people view the Heralds?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the first two tasks Talia does when she and the Companion stop at their first rest?

2. What does a young girl do when she enters Talia's room and how does the woman who comes in respond to Talia's behavior?

3. What fantasy does Talia have after she escapes from the meeting with her father's wives?

4. What class does Talia go to after weapons training and what is some of the information she gets there?

5. What happens to Talia that gets her out of her holding?

6. Why is Talia called into a meeting with her father's wives?

7. What happens when Talia comes upon a herald and what does she fear? What does he tell her?

8. What is Elcarth's position in the palace, what does he notice about Talia's personality and her knowledge?

9. What does the older woman who came into Talia's room do and say and what does Talia tell the woman?

10. How long do Talia and Rolan travel and how is Talia feeling about the change in her life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Sherrill approaches Talia before leaving on Herald business to explain to Talia about sex and birth control. It is obvious that the sexual mores of the Heralds is more liberal than those in which Talia is raised. Do you think Talia will change her sexual mores eventually? Why? Do most people discard beliefs in which they are raised if they begin living in a community with different beliefs? What do you think this says about beliefs?

2. Ylsa and Keren are two women who are lovers. Though few people in the community live a homosexual lifestyle, the women are accepted for who they are and are not condemned. Do you believe they should be accepted for who they are? Discuss their life as Heralds, which is similar to being soldiers, in light of the current debate about gays serving openly in the military.

3. As Talia grows and matures, her beliefs about many things change. Discuss Talia's changing in light of your own life as you left home and meet other people who thought differently from your own community.

Essay Topic 2

Many readers of a book such as Arrows of the Queen place themselves in the position of someone like Talia, wondering about what their response would be in a similar situation. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Arrows of the Queen help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Arrows of the Queen? Why or why not.

3. Choose one specific incident to discuss and compare Talia's response to how you think you would respond.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

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

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

3. Do you think the fact that Arrows of the Queen is a novel in a series changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? What about the fact that it is a fantasy novel? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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