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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. Who calls in the end of chapter nine while Scarpetta and Lucy are sitting at the table?

2. What does Scarpetta's mother call to say?

3. Where does Marino take Scarpetta in chapter twelve?

4. What does Scarpetta imagine that the killer has done after reading the newspaper?

5. Where is a large percentage of the world's borax mined at?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the end of chapter fifteen what is Scarpetta dreaming about?

2. What does Abby Turnbull say happened to her that the police didn't help with?

3. In chapter twelve what does Marino and Scarpetta talk about while they are out driving to where Henna was killed?

4. In the beginning of chapter fourteen how does Scarpetta describe her sleep?

5. Describe the scene at home in chapter fourteen when Scarpetta arrives home to Lucy.

6. Describe the phone conversation that occurs with Cecile's family in chapter fourteen.

7. What does Scarpetta tell Abby is the real reason that she has asked Abby to come to talk to her at the ME's office in chapter thirteen?

8. In chapter eleven what does Abby recall about telling her sister to be careful?

9. In chapter twelve what does Spiro tell Scarpetta about the killer?

10. What does Marino come in with in chapter thirteen?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pick one of the following to write about:

1) Speculate on what it was about Matt Peterson that Scarpetta also believed was not adding up. Is there a reason that the author wouldn't have gone back to answer this question?

2) What role does the DNA and forensic evidence play in the story? Could the story have been written and focused much less on this information? Explain.

3) Which of the subplots seen in the story are likely to be looked at again in later books in the series? Explain why these seem significant.

Essay Topic 2

Part 1) In what ways does Scarpetta compare to her predecessor, Cagney?

Part 2) Is it possible that much of what she feels, in regards to the way she is viewed compared to Cagney, is only psychological? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss motives.

Part 1) What is the motive behind Amburgey's actions?

Part 2) What is the motive behind Marino's actions?

Part 3) What is the motive behind Wingo's actions?

(see the answer keys)

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