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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. What do Hogan and Sharpe discuss as they ride to Badajoz?

2. What would the capture of Badajoz do for the British?

3. What nationality is Harper?

4. What happens in Ciudad Rodrigo when the breach is carried?

5. What type of position does Sharpe's company assume?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who reports to Sharpe when reinforcements arrive for the battalion, what mistake does he make and what does he do after he is corrected?

2. What siege does Sharpe participate in at the beginning of Chapter 1 and how does he pass his time when not fighting?

3. Why are Sharpe and Harper relieved about their company's role in the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo? What will their role be?

4. What does Sharpe do right after the conclusion of the battle at Ciudad Rodrigo?

5. What is Lawford and Sharpe's relationship and how do they interact?

6. What does Sharpe do with his guerrilla friend?

7. How does the assault on Ciudad Rodrigo seem to the British at first?

8. Describe Hakeswill's first encounter with Teresa in the stables.

9. What happens in Chapter 1 when night falls and what does Lawford send Sharpe and his company to do?

10. What is Sharpe's new assignment he receives from Windham and what does he ask Windham? How does Windham respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sharpe, despite his background, is an officer and a gentleman and is therefore accorded more respect and trust even in enemy territory than the common soldier. Discuss the following:

1. Does it seem likely that officers are usually more respectable than enlisted men back then? What about today? Why or why not.

2. Sharpe has resumed his affair with Teresa while still considering marrying Jane Gibbons. Do you think this is how an officer and gentleman comports himself? Why or why not.

3. In the present military in the United States, both officers and enlisted can be held for court martial for adultery or having sexual relations with someone of inferior rank. Why do you think this is so? Do you agree with the policy?

Essay Topic 2

Note that in the British military service, commissions could be purchased for monetary payments to the government. Thus, Rymer's appearance as an inexperienced captain means simply that he comes from a moneyed family. Leroy and Sharpe consider the process, theoretically corrupted, that leads to Rymer's commission.

1. Do you think that a wealthy person should be able to purchase a high rank in the military? Why or why not?

2. It seems that money has always had some sway over the military. In modern times one of the complaints against the Vietnam War is that "rich kids" didn't go. Explain how getting out of military duty because of wealth is as corrupt as obtaining a higher rank because of money.

3. Discuss why someone like Rymer who had enough money to purchase a captaincy would even enter the military and risk his life. Use examples from RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ to support your answer.

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)

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