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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. According to the boy's mother, what does Zhenia see when he looks in Yakov's apartment?

2. When Yakov happens upon an old injured Jewish man while returning from shopping, where does Yakov take the injured man?

3. Who performs the total body and cavity searches that Yakov is subjected to?

4. When Bibikov apologizes for the poor treatment Yakov is receiving, Yakov asks for only one thing. What is it?

5. When Yakov envisions himself wresting with the Tsar, they continue to wrestle until the Tsar declares himself to be __________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Yakov steel himself to live instead of wanting to die?

2. Even though Yakov is desperately ill and is not allowed access to the prison hospital, Yakov is relieved. Why?

3. According to Zhenia's mother, why does she delay in reporting her son as missing?

4. When Yakov is returned to prison and then meets with the prosecutor, the prosecutor offers him a lighter sentence in return for what?

5. When Yakov is returned to prison and then meets with the prosecutor, the prosecutor offers him a deal. Why does Yakov refuse the prosecutor's deal?

6. After refusing the pardon, Yakov decides that things are never truly as bad as they can get. Why does Yakov decide that?

7. When Yakov is offered a pardon by the Tsar, why does Yakov refuse the pardon?

8. Why is Yakov uneasy in the days before his next prison visitor is set to arrive?

9. As the man in charge of the investigation questions Yakov, why does Yakov begin to feign ignorance and not answer the man's questions?

10. When Yakov finally meets with his attorney, what is the bad news that the attorney tells to Yakov?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are many people who are incarcerated or at the prison while Yakov is in prison. Identify at least three people killed at the prison. Compare and contrast each of these deaths being sure to indicate which character died, how the character died, and what impact on the overall plot the character's death had. What could - or should - Yakov have learned from each of these deaths?

Essay Topic 2

Several people that Yakov has been in contact with provide damaging information against him to the police during the investigation of Zhenia's murder. Compare and contrast the following characters in terms of their personalities, their "testimony", and their motivations: Proshko, Zina, and Nikolai.

Essay Topic 3

There are many attempts by the government to cover up the existence of any evidence that does not support their attempts to frame Yakov for the murder of Zhenia. Describe two of the pieces of evidence that are either "forgotten" or explained away by the authorities that might have proven Yakov's innocence. Would full disclosure by the authorities have made a difference? To Yakov? To the Black Hundreds? To the Russian citizens? Why or why not? Support your answer with examples from the story.

(see the answer keys)

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