View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why have the French called an unofficial truce?

2. Why is Massena frustrated with the British troops northward march?

3. About what does Sharpe lecture Donaju?

4. What does Tarrant tell Sharpe he has heard about?

5. Why does Sharpe gasp as he is watching the battle with Wellington?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where are the Spanish partisans set up to watch the southern flank and what happens to them?

2. How does the second large battle for Fuentes de Onoro start and which British troops are involved?

3. Why is Wellington enraged with Erkins?

4. What does Sharpe persuade Harper to do and why?

5. What does Sharpe do when he hears Loup shouting out commands in the battle and what do the soldiers around them do?

6. What does Hogan say to Sarsfield?

7. What do Hogan and Wellington decide about Sharpe and the battle at Isidoro?

8. Who are the three soldiers in charge of ammunition distribution? Why are two of the soldiers on that duty and what are their names?

9. What does Hogan tell Wellington about the French and Almeida?

10. How does Harper's superstitious action turn out?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sharpe's Battle, like many, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why? not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of Sharpe's Battleand whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Sharpe's Battleis or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Cornwell has tried as much as possible to use historical events and facts around which to weave his work of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think Sharpe's Battle qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in Sharpe's Battle are historical, what surprises you about the way the events play out?

3. Do you think the culture of that era is more or less advanced than you imagined? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

In any book centered around the military, leadership of the troops is often crucial with the better leaders able to command the respect and loyalty of their men. The men's willingness to follow a particularly leader can have a decisive impact upon the success of a mission. Discuss the following:

1. Whose command style seems most effective? Analyze the elements of those effective leaders thoroughly and discuss the traits of the good leaders. What makes an excellent leader/commander? Give examples.

2. Whose command style seems most ineffective? Analyze the elements of those ineffective leaders thoroughly and discuss the traits of the poor leaders. What makes a poor leader/commander? Give examples.

3. Is disobeying a poor leader ever justifiable? Explain using details from the text, other books you have read and your personal experience. In times of war, disobeying an order can be punishable by death. Is this harsh sentence justifiable for such an act? Why or why not.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,168 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample