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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 are Charlie and Thomas glad to leave behind?

2. Where are Thomas, Charlie, and their local friends sent?

3. How does the Colonel threaten Thomas' family?

4. What is hanging on the peg that used to be for Thomas and Charlie's father's coat?

5. What happens when the Germans reach the barbed wire?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the Colonel demand and how does he threaten Charlie's family?

2. Why is Molly at Charlie and Thomas' house one day when they return from work and what has she brought with her?

3. How does Thomas experience some of the gas and what happens when a German soldier sees Thomas?

4. Describe the fighting that occurs after the bombardment stops.

5. What is the front line like?

6. How do Charlie and Thomas convince the Army that Thomas is old enough to join?

7. What news does Molly announce and how does Charlie respond?

8. Who is in the bunker and what does Sergeant Hanley order his men to do?

9. What happens when the next wave of shelling stops?

10. How does Thomas react to Molly's being married to Charlie?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

1. What is foreshadow? How many incidences of foreshadow are in Private Peaceful? How does foreshadow contribute to a book's suspense?

2. Discuss an example of foreshadow in Private Peaceful including why you believe it is foreshadow. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

3. How do you think most people react to uncertainty in their lives? Use examples from Private Peaceful and your own live to support your opinion.

Essay Topic 2

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think Private Peaceful is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in Private Peaceful. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of courage in Private Peaceful. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of war and peace in Private Peaceful. Would Private Peaceful be considered an anti-war book? How was war portrayed? How were the men who fought in the war portrayed? Were soldiers or war glorified or demonized? Was war and peace the main theme of Private Peaceful? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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