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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. In what city does Thomas Holcomb live?

2. Who is in Pickering's house when he arrives there on July 1?

3. Who is also aboard Pickering's boat?

4. How did Pickering and MacArthur travel to Melbourne?

5. Why didn't Pickering go to the Philippines?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Stecker tell Banning when they meet about Banning's organization?

2. What happens when Galloway meets Ward and Schneider at the Officer's Club at Quantico?

3. What does Banning do after Stecker leaves, and to what position does he assign Koffler and why?

4. What does Pickering ask of Knox for Banning's group and what does he forbid Banning to do? Why does he forbid it?

5. Why does Banning meet with Eric Feldt and what happened at that meeting?

6. What does Pickering do when MacArthur moves his headquarters? What does Pickering tell Knox about the Pacific operations?

7. To what is Ellen promoted and what happens when Pickering comes to her hotel room?

8. What does Pickering tell Knox about MacArthur and what he should be told? What does MacArthur want to do?

9. Who does Barbara see when she goes into Pickering's sitting room? What does Pickering suggest?

10. Who does McInerney see with Galloway at the Willard Hotel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pickering is looking for his place in the war effort and is having a hard time finding it. He refuses the job offer from Donovan because it is only an adviser position, which he feels is too low, but tells McInerney that he is willing to do anything, even at a low rank, in the Marines. Pickering doesn't know what it is that he wants to do, which is why he is having such a hard time. The one thing he knows he doesn't want to do is to sell his remaining ships to the Navy, even though they want them.

1. With research, discuss the steps one can use to make a decision and how these steps might benefit Pickering.

2. Do you think Pickering actually wants a job helping the war effort, or do you think he just thinks he should want one? Why or why not? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

3. Discuss why or why not you believe Pickering refusing to sell his ships to the navy makes him a bad American. Use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Griffin has tried as much as possible to use historical events and facts around which to weave his work of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think Counterattack qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in the book are historical, what surprises you about the way the events play out?

3. Do you think the culture of that era is more or less advanced than you imagined? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Most people and regular soldiers detest spies and the idea of spying. Spies are not considered in the same vein as soldiers in uniform and are not protected by the customs and regulations that govern the treatment of soldiers who are in uniform when captured. It was carefully pointed out that what Pickering was doing would not be considered spying, yet that is essentially what his organization is doing. Discuss one of the following:

1. Why do you think spies are not accorded any rights under many countries' laws and/or customs?

2. Even though all countries abhor spies, often even their own, they still spy, and men and women are still willing to be spies. Discuss why you think this is so.

3. Research and analyze the history of spying in either America.

4. Does Pickering seem the image of a typical spy as you visualize one? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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