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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. Who gives the katsas in Chapter 9 a booby-trapped case?

2. What do Mossad officials tell Victor to do regarding Jerry in Chapter 8?

3. Where does Halim meet with Goldstein in the Prologue?

4. In Chapter 4, what do recruits learn are set up around the world and available for Mossad use at any time?

5. What does a prominent Syrian official come to Denmark to do in Chapter 6?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the Danish operation in Chapter 6.

2. Describe the web of recruits related in Chapter 4.

3. How is the head of Black September connected to Akbar in Chapter 9?

4. How does Ostrovsky join the Mossad?

5. How is the training divided up in Chapter 2?

6. How does Mossad eventually avert the assassination of Golda Meir in Chapter 9?

7. What training do the cadets receive in Chapter 3?

8. What is new about the Academy in the beginning of Chapter 7?

9. How is the Cypress mission botched in Chapter 8?

10. Who is Akbar?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the end of the book, Victor Ostrovsky describes his reasoning for revealing the secrets of Mossad: he believes the agency has led to moral decay in Israel. Write an essay about Ostrovsky's thesis regarding moral decay. What policies does Mossad back that run contrary to the nation's values? What tactics does Ostrovsky claim are morally corrosive? Do you believe this argument? Why or why not? Discuss whether the author's participation in Mossad precludes his moral authority.

Essay Topic 2

In By Way of Deception, Victor Ostrovsky often shows the connection between the actions of Mossad and famous historical event: the bombing of the American hotel in Beirut or the 1972 Olympics for example. Write an essay about one such occurrence. How does Mossad activity impact the international climate lead toward or away from the event? What is the connection between Israeli policy and this event? Does Ostrovsky reveal a hidden component to this event?

Essay Topic 3

One of the operational tools of the Mossad in the novel is vice, in the form of prostitutes, booze, and pornography. Write an essay on the use of vice by katsas to bring recruits on board. Cite specific examples from the text. How does sex and debauchery appeal to the type of individual they want to recruit? How does the pleasure of the forbidden provide a still-stronger hold on the recruit than a more sensible form of compensation?

(see the answer keys)

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