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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. How does O'Brien describe the look in the girls' eyes who were selling Cokes?

2. What does humping mean in military lingo?

3. Which of the following describes the nickname for the time period in which O'Brien was born?

4. Which of the following presidents is not referred to in this chapter?

5. Which of the following is a new piece of equipment the soldiers break out in Chapter Four?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does O'Brien do on his long nocturnal walks?

2. What does O'Brien admit to the reader at the end of chapter three?

3. What do the members of Alpha Company do that is ignoring the orders from their officers?

4. Why didn't O'Brien sign up for two years?

5. Describe Alpha Company as O'Brien first meets them.

6. What are the first few days like for O'Brien?

7. What do the soldiers learn how to do at the combat center?

8. Describe the backdrop for O'Brien's upbringing.

9. Describe the message O'Brien wishes to convey through chapter ten.

10. After he starts his interest in politics, what does O'Brien begin to do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay expressing your own personal feelings about O'Brien's experience in Vietnam in relation to his own feelings. How has your understanding of the Vietnam war changed? In what ways can you relate to how O'Brien felt during his time in the war?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on how the Vietnamese people must have felt about Americans during the war, especially those that were on the same side as the Americans. What lead the Vietnamese people to feel this way? Do you believe their feelings were justified? How would you feel in the same situation?

Essay Topic 3

Describe why Captain Johansen can be considered a hero. What is your definition of a hero? Does O'Brien meet your personal definition of a hero at any time throughout this novel? Do you believe your definition is universal or unique?Uses examples from the story to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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