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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. Where was Sharpe first to cross a wall according to one of the men who are sitting with Sharpe and Teresa?

2. What would happen if the French retake Salamanca?

3. Who does Ducos ask for help?

4. Why does Napoleon send Ducos to Spain?

5. What is the main obstacle of Soult's forces that are traveling North?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Sharpe order Lieutenant Price to do and why?

2. Why does Teresa become enraged about what she hears about Avila?

3. Describe the situation with the wine that is found in the fort at San Miguel.

4. How does Sharpe scare Tubbs about a woman riding with a group of rebels and why is it funny?

5. How do Sharpe and Teresa disagree about Sharpe's handling of Ensign Hickey?

6. Why is Major Ducos in Spain?

7. Describe General Jean Herault.

8. Briefly characterize Captain Richard Sharpe.

9. Who is MacKeon and what is his connection to Sharpe?

10. Describe the setting and mission for Captain Richard Sharpe.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"Sharpe's Skirmish" is one book in a series of novels involving the character 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 2

Oftentimes, a book is more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and sometimes it is the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think "Sharpe's Skirmish" is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Cornwell is masterful in his description of battles and life in general in for a soldier during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s. Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze Cornwell's descriptive passages about life as a soldier. How does he use descriptions of the five senses to make the reader feel s/he is there? Do you find his descriptions compelling? Seemingly accurate? How would the novel be different if Cornwell did not include such descriptive passages?

2. Analyze Cornwell's descriptive passages about the social structure of the times and discuss what you think it would be like to be a person of wealth and/or privilege such as Major Tubbs or Ducos. Contrast that to the lives of those who are in a lower social strata such as Sharpe and Harper or one in service to someone of wealth and/or privilege.

3. Describe and analyze Cornwell's descriptive passages about the topographical setting and the physical descriptions of the people. Does Cornwell do an adequate job of actually making the reader "see" the land/sea where the action is taking place? How about getting a visual image of the characters? How does the descriptions of the setting add to the novel? Do you like having an idea of how a character looks? How would the novel be different without such descriptions?

(see the answer keys)

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