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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 ruins can be seen today?

2. Who are firing on the French?

3. What seems almost impossible that was accomplished?

4. What does Sharpe saw off in the cathedral?

5. How does Sharpe feel after talking to Cox?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Sharpe shock both his men and the Partisans?

2. Describe Almeida.

3. Describe the Lines of Torres Vedras.

4. Describe what happens in the explosion attempt.

5. What happens when Sharpe goes to the telegraph station and who is he with?

6. What happens before the telegraph can be sent?

7. What does Cox say when Sharpe asks permission to leave the fortress?

8. How does Sharpe discover that the French are nearby when Sharpe's company approaches the Coa River?

9. What does it say about the cause of the explosion and who got in a bread oven?

10. How is Sharpe faring with the wound he receives?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Most protagonists are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and Richard Sharpe is no exception. Sharpe's legendary powers of military strategy is juxtaposed with his reputation as a womanizer. Discuss the following:

1. Trace and analyze situations when Sharpe demonstrates his prodigious powers of military strategy. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze Sharpe's character flaws offering specific examples of these flaws in your discussion.

3. Discuss how you think Sharpe's admirable traits helped him obtain a high rank in the military despite his background as a child. Have his flaws impacted his career at all? Do any of those under his command seem to notice these flaws? Who? How does the reader know this?

Essay Topic 2

Sharpe's Gold, like many, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why? not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of Sharpe's Gold and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Sharpe's Gold is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. State what you think are three characteristics of a successful novel and whether or not Sharpe's Gold in your opinion is a successful novel.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze one major theme of Sharpe's Gold. Consider the following: How does one character's actions portray the theme you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to that theme? Is the theme one that you would call a "universal theme?" If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

2. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Sharpe's Gold. How does one character's actions portray the themes you are analyzing? How does the setting contribute to those themes? Is each theme one that you would call a "universal theme?" If so, what other book or novel that you have read also includes this theme. If not, why don't you think it is a "universal" theme?

3. What benefit is there in discussing and analyzing the themes of a work of fiction? Do you think most authors consciously develop themes in their works? Why or why not? Can there be accidental themes? What do you think is one possible "accidental" theme in Sharpe's Gold? Which theme in Sharpe's Gold speaks to you the most in your life? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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