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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. Why was the luggage damp?

2. In Russian the letter N appears as what letter in English?

3. Why does the Countess claim to remember so little?

4. Who is Antonio Foscarelli?

5. What profession did Miss Freebody hold?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the true identity of Miss Debenham?

2. How does the Princess try to explain the monogram on the handkerchief.

3. How does Dr. Constantine describe Miss Debenham?

4. How does Poirot think the outcome would have changed if the police had been involved?

5. What caused the murderers' original plan to go awry?

6. What does Poirot find when he goes to his compartment to get his cigarettes?

7. How does Hildegard Schmidt determine the time of the murder?

8. Which of Poirot's questions trips up Miss Debenham?

9. What discovery caused Poirot to link the handkerchief to the Countess?

10. What item is found in Mrs. Hubbard's sponge bag?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The snowstorm had a big impact on the murderers' plans. Explain how the storm changed the path of the crime as well as the ensuing investigation. Explore how the crime might have taken place if the train had not been stranded. Would you have insisted on going ahead with the plan even though there was a bigger danger of being caught? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Miss Debenham had more than reason to lie about her identity? What were the reasons? Do you think the reasons were practical or foolish? What could Miss Debenham have done that would have been more convincing?

Essay Topic 3

How did Poirot happen to be on the same train as the victim? Was it by accident or was it planned? How did Poirot react when he realized that Colonel Arbuthnot and Miss Debenham were also on the train? How might the case have been different if Poirot had been able to decipher the relationship between the Colonel and Miss Debenham?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 476 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample