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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 command Harper to do?

2. Why does Louisa invite herself to dinner?

3. Who wakes Sharpe in the night in Chapter 6?

4. For what does Vivar thank Harper?

5. Who does Vivar tell Sharpe is coming to the fortress?

Short Essay Questions

1. With whom does Sharpe dine the first night in the fortress and why do Vivar and Alzaga argue?

2. What happens as Sharpe is about to order his riflemen to flee the house and who joins him in the woods?

3. Why do Sharpe's men begin to call out enthusiastically when the Parkers come in front of the assembly and what does Mrs. Parker explain to Sharpe?

4. What happens when the French assault the farmhouse the first time and what does Sharpe tell Harper? What is Harper's response?

5. What does Sharpe order the Parkers to do and what does Sharpe do when Mrs. Parker refuses?

6. What does Major Dunnet tell Sharpe to do, how does he address him and how does he feel about Sharpe? What does Murray suspect about Dunnet's feelings towards Sharpe?

7. What does Vivar tell Davila to do?

8. Who, of the French forces chasing Vivar, does Vivar watch the most and why?

9. What does Vivar ask Sharpe to recount and what does Vivar explain to Sharpe? Where does he ask Sharpe to go?

10. What does Dunnet order the riflemen to do when the French are charging them and what is Sharpe's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 Wars affected the social culture of one of the following countries: Britian, France, or Germany.

Essay Topic 2

A work of fiction is often organized around a structure called a plot. Discuss the following:

1. Define plot and its major parts (rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Write a sentence or two synopsis of the major plot of Sharpe's Rifles.

2. Identify where the parts of the plot seem to fall in Sharpe's Rifles. Explain using examples.

3. Define the literary term "subplot." Write a sentence or two synopsis of a subplot in Sharpe's Rifles.

4. Identify the major parts of the subplot you identified in task number 3.

5. Why do you think identifying the plot and elements of the plot is useful?

Essay Topic 3

Sharpe's Rifles 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.

(see the answer keys)

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