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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. On the evening of Stevie's death after Winnie has gone upstairs, what happens when Mr. Verloc enters his parlor and finds the meal his wife prepared earlier laid out?

2. What concern does the secretary of state express when briefed by the assistant commissioner regarding his suspect of the Greenwich Park explosion?

3. After assuring Winnie that things will turn out all right in their escape, what does Ossipon do?

4. What sort of restaurant does the assistant commissioner eat dinner at on the evening of the Greenwich Park blast?

5. Once the Assistant Commissioner arrives at the reported center of the empire, there are several constables who do what upon seeing him departing the vehicle?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Mrs. Verloc's sibling do when a cab driver whips his horse on the ride over to the charity home? Why does her sibling reaction in this way?

2. What is the assistant commissioner's primary goal in briefing Sir Ethelred?

3. What does Mr. Verloc attempt to stress to his wife regarding the death of her sibling?

4. When Ossipon jumps from the moving train and abandons Mrs. Verloc with no funds, what does he tell the railway workers who gather around him?

5. What does the assistant commissioner do after completing his visit with the secretary of state?

6. What is it the cab driver complains about at the house and what is the sibling's reaction?

7. At the beginning of Chapter 10, which fish are used in the discussion concerning the level of importance of the political figure to be caught?

8. What is Mr. Verloc's disposition at the beginning of Chapter 9?

9. Identify the individual the assistant commissioner is speaking with at the close of Chapter 10 and what says that might be a quote from his own subordinate.

10. Who does the assistant commissioner go to see at the start of Chapter 7? What figure of speech is used to compare these two figures? And what does the person the assistant commission visits express as his initial concern?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of a variety of themes which run through Conrad's novel is social reform and terrorist acts. Examine and compare the different character's views of this topic. Include the members of the International Red Committee, the professor, Chief Inspector Heat, the assistant commissioner, and the secretary of state. Consider how Conrad uses this theme through his novel.

Essay Topic 2

The author uses the theme of relationships in exploring characters throughout his novel. Examine the relationship between Stevie and Mr. Verloc prior to Stevie's mother moving into a charity home, and afterward. Provide examples to display the change that takes place. Discuss the motivation behind the transformation.

Essay Topic 3

Conrad skillfully uses dilemmas faced by characters within his novel. These are situations where the characters must make choices that have consequences. At the start of the story, Mr. Verloc must choose whether he will satisfy Mr. Vladimir's desire for the bombing of a science center, or risk losing his financial support and possibly his well-being. Select four situations where characters face dilemmas. Detail the choices that must be made, the consequences they need to consider, and what motivates them to take the paths they choose. Do any of them have the same motivation(s)?

(see the answer keys)

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