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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. Based on Mr. Shaitana's comments at dinner, what does Poirot think the murderer's motivation was?

2. How does the author leave the reader feeling about Poirot and criminals by the end of Chapter 1?

3. Who is seated by the fire?

4. What does Lorrimer do when she sees the stiletto?

5. Who tells Mrs. Oliver that in real life they must approach the process differently instead of going on instinct?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Poirot's deductions about the four possible murder suspects by Chapters 24 and 25?

2. How does Poirot outwit the doctor and get more information out of Dr. Roberts than he wants to give?

3. When Shaitana is discovered to be dead, who is possibly implicated in the crime by proximity?

4. What did Poirot achieve through his psychological analysis of the murder suspects?

5. Describe Major Despard.

6. How do the four sleuths vary in their investigative styles?

7. Describe Mrs. Lorrimer.

8. What is the dangerous thing that Shaitana did that probably caused his death?

9. To whom did Mrs. Lorrimer send notes, and why is this important?

10. How is O'Connor able to elicit information from the parlor maid?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the story. Which of the characters are lonely? Are they all lonely in some way? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

Essay Topic 2

Both Hercule Poirot and Superintendent Battle are important characters.

Part 1) Compare Poirot to the Superintendent Battle. How are these two characters similar and how are they different?

Part 2) What psychological purpose or insight does Poirot offer? Elaborate on this.

Part 3) Poirot offers to examine the past of the murder suspects. What is implied in this decision, and how does it reveal that the murder motive is connected to the past of the murderer and not the present circumstances alone?

Essay Topic 3

Poirot is an enigmatic and famous character in this book. Explain the history of Poirot as you know it. When did the character first appear in the book? What culture seemingly created Poirot? How has the character changed throughout history? Why do you think Christie chose Poirot as a main character?

(see the answer keys)

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