View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What are the official colors of Pantoja's special service?

2. Why does Pantoja say to stay away from a type of porpoise oil?

3. What does Pantoja tell his family he is doing for his new job?

4. What time does Pantoja return home after his first day in his new town?

5. What has Pocha been finding that Leonor has been leaving all over the house?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the success level of the Special Service's pilot mission?

2. On what conditions is the Special Service allowed to use a Navy boat?

3. Where does Pantoja's family hope he relocates?

4. What is the issue that Pantoja is being sent to the small city of Iquitos to handle?

5. Describe the nightmare Pantoja has about the Special Services in Chapter 2.

6. What happens when Sinchi, a popular local radio personality, visits the command post for the first time to have a discussion with Pantoja?

7. Why are Sinforoso Caiguas and Palominos Rioalto chosen to assist Pantoja and his new operation?

8. Why are Pantoja's coworkers concerned about him spending time with a woman named Olga?

9. What signs of growth in the Special Service are shown in Chapter 5?

10. Why is Captain Pantoja being relocated in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the author's use of written correspondences in the novel. Describe two instances where the author makes use of letters or memos. What purpose do they serve for the reader? Why do you think the author employs so many of them as opposed to writing in traditional narrative style?

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of Olga's murder to the rest of the novel? Why do you think Olga is killed off in the story? Are you surprised by her fate? Why or why not? How does her murder move the plot of the story along? Do you think it is significant that her murder is the result of a botched plan to kidnap and rape her? Why do you think Vargas Llosa chooses to kill her this way and not actually be purposefully be murdered by Moray and his men?

Essay Topic 3

What is the significance of the way Olga is portrayed through a series of newspaper articles? How is she depicted in these articles? Explore the contradictions around her portrayal? How has Olga been portrayed in the novel prior to the newspaper articles? Does your opinion of her change at all after reading this chapter? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 978 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample