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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 does Wellington decide as the assault falters in Chapter 24?

2. Why are the men of Sharpe's old company not doing their job?

3. What has Sharpe been doing under Hogan's command?

4. What does Windham do to Harper?

5. What do the British forces begin to do when they arrive at Badajoz?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the fortifications of Badajoz.

2. What does Sharpe say when Hogan informs him of the plan for the dam and what is the plan?

3. Why do the British delay the assault one more day in Chapter 23?

4. What is Hakeswill doing while the British prepare for the assault of Badajoz and what do the men think about him?

5. What does Rymer say about his blotched mission, what does he decide to do and what does Sharpe do in response?

6. What happens to Sharpe as he retreats from the dam?

7. Why does Wellington decide Badajoz has to be taken immediately?

8. How is Badajoz finally taken?

9. What does Windham do to Harper and what do Harper and Sharpe talk about before the event?

10. Why does Windham realize he made a mistake and what does he do to mitigate it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

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 RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in the book 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

Richard Sharpe is in some ways a larger-than-life hero. Despite incredible odds, he usually comes out on top, in RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ and in the others in the series. Discuss the following:

1. Does having a larger-than-life hero make that person less of a hero? In other words, which is more admirable--a hero who ultimately always "lands on his feet," or one who strives against impossible odds and doesn't always succeed?

2. Does a character have to be successful in order to be a hero? Explain your answer.

3. Choose one other character besides Sharpe who you might call a hero/heroine and explain why you choose that person. Illustrate your statements with examples from the text.

4. Does every work of fiction have to have a hero? Explain your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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