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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 chapter 25, why does Ferguson claim Cornelia had a motive to kill Linnet Ridgeway Doyle?

2. In chapter 17, who told some of the passengers that Linnet Doyle was one of the richest women in England?

3. In chapter 30, why does Jackie say it is good that she has been caught?

4. In chapter 18, does Mr. Pennington know who might have a grudge against Linnet on the ship?

5. To whom in chapter 19 does Poirot comment on the vision of the moon after the sun has disappeared, a thought both Simon Doyle and Jackie de Bellefort have previously expressed to him?

Short Essay Questions

1. In chapter 17, Miss Otterbourne refutes everything that Miss van Schuyler said about her in a previous chapter. Could Miss van Schuyler be lying? For what purpose?

2. In chapter 21, where does Miss Bowers claim she got the pearls? Why did she not come forward sooner?

3. In chapter 25, how does Cornelia react to the proposal of Mr. Ferguson? Why does Miss van Schuyler at first refuse to consider Mr. Ferguson as a suitor for her niece, but later thinks differently?

4. In chapter 28, who does Race realize is the agitator he has been searching for? How does he learn this?

5. In chapter 21, what does Poirot discover about the pearls?

6. In chapter 28, what does Cornelia learn about her aunt that upsets her? Why?

7. Who is missing in chapter 22? Where is she found?

8. In chapter 29, who does Poirot finally accuse of being Linnet, the maid, and Mrs. Otterbourne's killers?

9. In chapter 31, what happens when Jackie and Simon are escorted off of the cruise ship to be turned over to police custody?

10. In chapter 31, who does Cornelia announce she plans to marry? For what reason?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following themes in detail, using quotes from the novel to support your conclusions:

1) Wealth

2) Friendship

3) Betrayal.

Essay Topic 2

Why does Mrs. Allerton invite Poirot to join she and her son at their dining table on the cruise ship? How does Tim react to this news? For what reason? What dominates the conversation at dinner the first night on the cruise ship? Which couple do the passengers seem most interested in? For what reason? How do most of the passengers get along? How do Simon and Linnet react to seeing Jackie on the cruise ship? For what reason?

Essay Topic 3

Why does Poirot focus on Linnet's missing pearls in the investigation? Where are the pearls initially discovered? What does this reveal about Miss Van Schuyler? What does Poirot notice about the recovered pearls? What does he feel is significant about this? Who does it turn out stole the real pearls? For what reason? Who put this person up to the theft? For what reason? Why does Poirot agree to allow this thief to go free? How does this impact the future of the thief? How does this impact a relationship between the thief and a potential new lover?

(see the answer keys)

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