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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. Lucille says Sharpe's business is ______________.

2. What does Lucille ask Sharpe if he misses?

3. What does Sharpe say when he pulls the hatch in the attic?

4. Who appears on the road above the farm?

5. What does Gudin offer?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who pushes their way into the house while Sharpe is gone, and what do they do and say?

2. What does Sharpe tell Lorcet when Lorcet calls upstairs to Challon?

3. What does Lucille hope about Sharpe, and how does she feel about leaving her home?

4. What does Father Defoy announce in church? How does the widow Malan feel about the announcement?

5. What does Sharpe tell Locet about the gold?

6. Where does Sharpe go on the morning of Christmas Eve?

7. What does Lucille do when Challon pushes on the bed, and what is Challon's response?

8. What does Sharpe say about the villagers, especially Malan? What is Lucille's response?

9. What does Picard hear as he thinks about his loss to Sharpe and what do he and Santon think it is?

10. What does Locet tell Sharpe to do? How does Locet arrange for that to happen?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sharpe's Christmas is one story in a series of novels involving Richard Sharpe. Discuss the following.

1. What are two advantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

2. What is a disadvantage of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

3. Do you prefer to read a standalone book or a series of books with the same main characters? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

A work of fiction is often organized around a structure called a plot. Discuss the following:

1. Define plot and its major parts (rising action, climax, falling action, resolution [or denouement]. Write a sentence or two synopsis of the major plot of the Sharpe's Christmas.

2. Identify where the parts of the plot seem to fall in Sharpe's Christmas. Explain using examples.

3. Define the literary term "subplot." Write a sentence or two synopsis of a subplot in Sharpe's Christmas.

4. Identify the major parts of the subplot you identified in task number 3.

5. Why do you think identifying the plot and elements of the plot is useful?

Essay Topic 3

Though this novel is probably more action driven rather than character driven, obviously there are several characters who make the novel what it is. Discuss one of the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Sharpe and Caillou. Include their goals, sense of honor, abilities and social skills. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Gudin and Picard. Include their goals, sense of honor, abilities, and social skills. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Thoroughly analyze the character of Richard Sharpe discussing both his strong and weak points and how both affect the outcome of the plot. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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