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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. Medb wants to borrow Dari of Cooley's bull for a year. What deal does MacRoth the Messenger offer Dari?

2. How does Medb react to Fedelm's prophecy of a bloody battle?

3. The Crutti Cainbilli were not ordinary men at all. What were they?

4. What job does Laeg do for Cuchulain?

5. How does the army get the cattle herd to trample Forgemen to death?

Short Essay Questions

1. Medb decides she wants a great bull to match Ailill's. What is the outcome of this?

2. Why does Cuchulain kill Tamon?

3. As the battle approaches, what does Fergus see? What does he warn Ailill?

4. Why does Cethern's lack of patience and better judgment cause his death?

5. At first, Ferdiad did not want to fight his old friend Cuchulain. What changed his mind?

6. Nathcrantail is killed for what he said about Cuchulain. What did he say?

7. Why is Cuchulain not happy with his father's actions in The Repeated Warning of Sualtaim? What does Cuchulain have to do in the end?

8. What are Medb's weak points? Give some examples.

9. What choice does Cuchulain have to make in The Finding of the Bull? Which one does he choose?

10. How do the Irish women react to Cuchulain in his regular clothing and hairstyle?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain what is meant by "plot structure". Explain the following elements in two or three sentences each, of plot structure as they apply to The Cattle Raid of Cooley:

a. Exposition

b. Rising Action

c. Climax

d. Falling Action

e. Resolution (or denouement).

Essay Topic 2

The tragic flaw is used in literary works to show the weakness of humans and how it influences the outcomes of many situations. Write a short essay wherein you list what you consider five fatal flaws and how they can have a serious influence on people's lives. Choose one of these fatal flaws and apply it to a character in The Cattle Raid at Cooley and show how it influences the outcome of the story.

Essay Topic 3

The pairing of conflict and archetypes are almost always elements of heroic tales. Considering this,

(a) define conflict and cite three examples of conflict in the novel,

(b) define archetypes and cite three examples of archetypes in the novel, (c) explain how conflict is built into the structure of The Cattle-Raid of Cooley, and

(d) explain how archetypes are used in Man vs. Man conflicts.

(see the answer keys)

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