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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 Sharpe do when he gets to his old company?

2. What does Windham do to Harper?

3. Why are Sharpe and Harper concerned about Teresa?

4. Who does Sharpe suspect of stealing?

5. About what is Sharpe questioned at the war council?

Short Essay Questions

1. What has the French built across the Rivillas Stream and what do the British do about it?

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

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

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

5. Where does Teresa's family live in Badajoz?

6. How is Badajoz finally taken?

7. What does Rymer do when the French mount a sortie while Sharpe is watching the digging? What are the French trying to do and what is the British response? What does Sharpe do?

8. What does Sharpe find when he returns to the baggage train, why is Windham angry and what is the conclusion about the incident?

9. What do the British troops do after the weather clears in Chapter 17 and what do they decide about the plain?

10. What does Harper do after Sharpe retreats from the dam? What do they find out?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The military way of life is in and of itself similar to a distinct culture. Understanding how the military is organized, how it operates, and its basic rules of conduct will make any novel that centers on the military more understandable and enjoyable. Discuss one of the following:

1. Describe and analyze the military structure during the time of RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ. What is rank? What is the difference between officers and enlisted men? How serious is it to disobey an order? What happens if one decides he does not like being in the military and walks away? How are men conscripted? Does the infantry have a similar means of augmenting their ranks as the maritime action called "impressments"?

2. Compare the infantry of RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ to that in modern times in for the United States, England or France. What are the similarities? The differences? Are the changes from those times improvements? Why or why not? (This question will require some research).

3. Discuss why you think the military has the following: Uniforms, a rank structure of Officers and Enlisted, Strict Discipline, Training for New Recruits, Court Martial, and Different types of companies (i.e., rifle, Cavalry, artillery, etc). Discuss why you think men (and nowadays women) choose to become professional soldiers.

Essay Topic 2

RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ is one book 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 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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