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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. What is the name of the weapon used to end the war?

2. What happens to Achilles after Bean's trap?

3. How do Bean and his witnesses leave Achilles?

4. What does Ender do to some of his soldiers in a practice battle in Chapter 18?

5. How does Anderson think the team will respond to Bean or Ender as team leader?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ender do with his team in the battle room in Chapter 13, and why is Bean at a disadvantage?

2. What weakness does Bean observe about Ender’s strategies?

3. What does Bean plan to do with the safety cord he gets from supply?

4. What does Bean do on the way to Tactical School and what is the team taught at Tactical School?

5. What does Bean learn about Achilles at the Battle School, and how do Bean and Achilles get along?

6. What does Bean do with the Rabbit Army in Chapter 21, and why does he do it?

7. Who helps Bean during the argument among the Dragon members, and why does he help Bean?

8. Who does the Dragon army fight in Chapter 15 and what is the result of that battle?

9. What does Bean discover about the key to fighting the Buggers and how is the war going?

10. What is an ansible and how is it used?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Trace and analyze the theme of freedom in Ender’s Shadow. Consider the following questions as you write: Examine which characters are most concerned with freedom and about what their concern is centered. What are some symbols of freedom and of imprisonment? Discuss the characters who see themselves as "imprisoned" and what they think they need to be free.

Trace and analyze the theme of satisfaction with one’s life in Ender’s Shadow. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess be satisfied with their life and which are not? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Although the battle is a victory for earth, the entire fleet is killed to achieve it.

Do you think Ender sacrificing the entire fleet was the right choice? Do you think if Bean had been the leader he would have been able to do the same as Ender? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Often, authors will write about what they know, and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting.

Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Orson Scott Card. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Card's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Card's probable agenda concerning that idea.

(see the answer keys)

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