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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 is the assistant commissioner feeling about his decision to take his new law enforcement position in London?

2. What are the Red Committee members doing during their meeting?

3. Where did Mr. Verloc live before he got married?

4. Why is one member of the Red Committee having so much difficulty communicating with other members of the group?

5. Which nation is Mr. Vladimir an agent for?

Short Essay Questions

1. What considerations is Ossipon reflecting upon regarding his next decision at the conclusion of Chapter 4?

2. How is Mr. Verloc described at the start of Chapter 2?

3. Who is Ossipon?

4. How does Winnie's mother views her daughter's romance with the young butcher?

5. How is the appearance of Winnie Verloc's mother described?

6. What is Mr. Verloc's response to his meeting with Mr. Vladimir after he returns home?

7. How is Winnie Verloc's appearance described?

8. How might the character known as the professor be described?

9. What is Mr. Vladimir's response when Mr. Verloc tells him that what he seeks will cost money?

10. As described at the conclusion of Chapter 5, what habit does the Assistant Commissioner have that comforts him the most?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mr. Verloc fears the consequences of failing to satisfy his superiors. Consider in detail this and other instances of Conrad's use of the theme of fear in his story.

Essay Topic 2

Adolf Verloc is found to be a French spy by the second chapter. But it is not until Chapter 6 that the reader learns he has also been an informant for Chief Inspector Heat. By the end of Chapter 5 it is know that the bomb victim was not Heat as thought possible in Chapter 4, but who is it then? Examine how Conrad uses surprise and secrecy throughout his novel.

Essay Topic 3

Toodles, the secretary of state's private secretary, only appears in two chapters. He is initially introduced in Chapter 7, when the assistant commissioner first reports to the secretary of state, and again in Chapter 10, when the assistant commissioner returns unexpectedly early to make his report to the secretary of state. Examine how the author uses this new character, Toodles, and both encounters he has with the assistant commissioner in relaying his tale.

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This section contains 1,063 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample