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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 is Benton Wesley?

2. Where does Scarpetta meet Jennifer's ex-husband?

3. Why does Scarpetta think Sullivan might have reported the robbery of his apartment?

4. What does Scarpetta realize about the way Eddie Heath's body is positioned?

5. In Scarpetta's thinking, what is the only thing of interest on her computer that would give someone a reason to break into it?

Short Essay Questions

1. Once Lucy discovers someone has tapped into AFIS, what is Benton's theory about Waddell's fingerprints?

2. Why does Benton not believe that Waddell would be capable of the recent murders?

3. Why does Waddell's decision to give up appealing his case surprise Scarpetta?

4. What act of kindness does Scarpetta do for Charlie Hale?

5. Why is Scarpetta relieved of her duties?

6. What does Grueman confess about why he was so hard on Scarpetta in law school?

7. How does Scarpetta know that the killer only had access to crime scene pictures, not the crime scene itself, of Robyn's murder?

8. What personal advice does Marino give Scarpetta over lunch once rumors surrounding Susan's death have hit the papers?

9. What does Scarpetta suspect about the briefcase Jennifer's ex-husband gives her?

10. What causes the governor to resign?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the information about Scarpetta's relationship with Mark contribute to her character? Provide at least 3 specific examples.

Essay Topic 2

The only married character in "Cruel and Unusual" is Benton Wesley, and his wife is rarely seen in the story. Discuss why Cornwell chooses to have no strong example of a loving, healthy marriage for any of the characters in "Cruel and Unusual."

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the characters of Marino and Wesley. How are they similar? How are they different? Make sure to use direct evidence from the text, such as examples and quotations, to support your thesis.

(see the answer keys)

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