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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 El Catolico plan to do?

2. Who are Robert Knowles and Patrick Harper?

3. How is the fighting between the Spanish peasants and the French?

4. What does Sharpe do with the Spanish?

5. Who is Cox?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is holding the gold and what does Kearsey know about the man and the situation?

2. Where do the men of Sharpe's company go?

3. Why are Sharpe's men angry and sad as they enter the village?

4. What does Sharpe learn as he takes stock of his company after the fighting and how does Kearsey react to his rescue?

5. Why is the mood somber in Chapter one among the forces allied against Napoleon?

6. Who does not agree with most of the others, but why is that not obvious?

7. What does Harper tell Sharpe as the company is being escorted by the Partisans?

8. What does Kearsey reiterate about the gold?

9. Describe the English attack on the French in the village.

10. What does Sharpe find when he follows the woman he later learns is Teresa?

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 least effective? 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

Most of the entire series of novels concerning Richard Sharpe takes place during the Napoleonic Wars; therefore understanding the political and social situation during that time helps to a greater understanding and appreciation of this book and others in the series. Discuss one of the following:

1. Research and write an expository essay about how the Napoleonic Wars begin and end.

2. Research and write an expository essay about the battles that take place on land between Britain and France during the Napoleonic Wars.

3. Compare/Contrast the importance of the British infantry during the Napoleonic Wars to the importance of the British infantry during either WWI or WWII.

4. Write an expository essay on how the Napoleonic War affects the social culture of one of the following countries: Britain, France, or Germany.

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 El Catolico. Include their goals, sense of honor, abilities, and social skills.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Wellington and Cox.

3. Thoroughly analyze the character of Richard Sharpe discussing both his strong and weak points and how both affect the outcome of the plot.

(see the answer keys)

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