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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. Jack Ryan realizes that which of the following is the key to deciding on a response to the Japanese attacks?

2. What information does Nomuri give to Clark and Chavez?

3. The Russians come up with what unexpected ally in Japan?

4. What distraction is created in order to cover the three Comanche helicopters?

5. What is Cook able to offer for Nagumo during the negotiations in Washington?

Short Essay Questions

1. As part of Ryan's plan, what naval assets are immediately dispatched against Japan and what is their mission?

2. How are the Japanese air defenses destroyed?

3. What resources do the Defense Department and the Pentagon determine will be available to fight the Japanese?

4. What is Yamata's reaction to the American counter-attack?

5. What troubling things does JAL pilot Torajiro Sato witness?

6. What leads to Yamata's kidnapping of Koga?

7. How does Nomuri react to being asked to leave the intelligence "game"?

8. How does Durling resolve the political crisis of Kealty's legal problems?

9. What is the outcome of Ryan's plan for saving the U.S. and European economies?

10. How does the U.S. cause India to capitulate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many characters in this novel are driven by a strong sense of duty towards their profession of their nation. These motivations are usually helpful, but cause problems for a few characters, and certainly cause many to expose themselves to more risk than they otherwise might.

Part 1) Explain Jack Ryan's sense of duty to his country. What responsibilities and risks does Ryan take in service to his country? Describe the personalities and behaviors of some other characters with similar senses of duty.

Part 2) Discuss the behaviors of characters who lack a real sense of duty. What ultimately happens to these characters? Do they generally occupy positions of great responsibility? What conclusions can be drawn from the differences between these people and characters more similar to Jack Ryan?

Part 3) Explain how Yamata's sense of duty affects his decisions. In the end, is Yamata true to his duty? How and why does this character trait negatively affect Yamata?

Essay Topic 2

Negotiations between Japan and the U.S. take place for almost the entire duration of the conflict between these nations. The U.S. wishes to avoid war without compromising itself, and Japan for the most part seeks to gain time to further its own military goals.

Part 1) Summarize the negotiations that occur in the novel. Who are the participating nations, and what are their goals? What resolutions result from these negotiations?

Part 2) Discuss some of the overt techniques used in these negotiations, such as compromise, discussion, and threats.

Part 3) Explain some of the covert techniques used in these negotiations, such as spying, intelligence gathering, bribery, and blackmail.

Use examples and quotes from the book to support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

In order to offer an effective counter to the Japanese military advances, Ryan constructs an intricate plan of attack. The plan makes the most of every available resource and requires the close coordination and cooperation of different forces in different areas. It requires both surprise and a great deal of secrecy, but it succeeds spectacularly.

Part 1) Discuss the United States' military goals and the resources available to obtain these goals.

Part 2) Explain Ryan's plan in detail, step-by-step.

Part 3) Describe the execution of the plan, detailing how successful the various aspects of it are, and how well the overall strategy comes together to achieve the United States' goals.

Provide support for your conclusions with quotes from the novel.

(see the answer keys)

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