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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. While the Russian soldiers are looking for Edwards and his men, what happens to distract them?

2. How does Morris get the Pharris back to land after it is damaged?

3. What do Alekeseyev and Sergetov conclude about the Russian offensive in Germany?

4. What marking will the Pharris receive that indicates that it has sunk a submarine?

5. Where are Alekeseyev and Sergetov when their helicopter is shot down?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Edwards and his men attack and kill five Russian soldiers at a local farmhouse?

2. Do the crews of the Ruben James and the Battleaxe get along?

3. What honors does Morris receive once he reaches Norfolk?

4. Describe Edwards's and his men's actions when they realize they have been spotted by Russian forces.

5. Explain how all reports given to the Politburo are divided and organized.

6. Give an example of a character who is concerned about Morris's ability to captain the Ruben James. Why is the character concerned?

7. Why does Morris treat the captured Russian sailors so well?

8. Describe the interaction between the Russian and American pilots who end up near each other in the ocean after an air fight.

9. How does O'Malley react after he sinks his first submarine?

10. When Alekeseyev and Sergetov discuss the offensive in Germany, do they decide that the war is going well, or that it is going poorly?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Red Storm Rising was published in the midst of the Cold War. How did the Cold War influence the plot of the novel? What parallels exist between events in the book and events during the Cold War? What differences are there? How do the sentiments of American characters toward Russia reflect American sentiment toward Russia during the Cold War? Be specific.

Essay Topic 2

Examine the structure and political maneuvering of the Russian government through Red Storm Rising's plot. After establishing the style, structure, and function of the Russian government, analyze how those elements influence the outcome of the Red Storm offensive. If the country's government was structured differently, would the outcome of the war have been the same? Be sure to support each point with a specific example from the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Near the end of the offensive in Red Storm Rising, Alekseyev feels very strongly that nuclear weapons should not be used in the conflict lest it spark a deadly nuclear exchange with Allied countries. Examine Alekseyev's thought process as he arrives at that conclusion. What is the significance of Alekseyev's reluctance to use nuclear weapons? How does the inclusion of Alekseyev's opposition to using nuclear weapons fit into the Cold War era in which Red Storm Rising was published?

(see the answer keys)

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