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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. Which man has the gall to win at dominoes against the General without permission?

2. What happens when the General refuses to allow U.S. troops into the nation?

3. What happened to the cause of Bendicion Alvarado?

4. What does the General stop to contemplate 23 times?

5. What does Ambassador Wilson bring to the General to console him?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the first assassination attempt against the General's wife and son.

2. What does Monsignor Demetrius Aldous discover about Bendicion Alvarado?

3. Why does the General order the Church and its clergy to be expelled from the nation and how is this accomplished?

4. How does Monsignor Demetrius Aldous investigate Bendicion Alvarado for sainthood?

5. After he has finished with the school girl, how does the General deal with her?

6. Describe the encounter between the General and the school girl narrator in Chapter 6.

7. How does the General learn how to read?

8. How does Jose Ignacio Saenz de la Barra attempt to undermine the General?

9. Why does the General's plan to overthrow the U.S. forces fail?

10. What happens to Monsignor Demetrius Aldous as he concludes his investigation of the General's mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the significance of the animal imagery in the novel. How does Marquez use animals to create an effect? What is this effect? Consider images such as the cow saluting the nation from the balcony in your response. Be sure to bolster your argument with support from the novel.

Essay Topic 2

In Jose Ignacio Saenz de la Barra, Garcia Marquez provides a significant foil for the General. Discuss the similarities and the contrast between these rivals for the Presidency. Some points of comparison might include each individual's use of violence or terror to control the public, the use of treachery or deceit to gain power, or the relative competence of each individual to perform the task of political leadership. Which is better suited to lead the nation? Provide evidence from the text to support your assertions.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the way in which Gabriel Garcia Marquez treats politics and dictatorships in the novel. What is he saying about dictatorship? Does his General resemble any historical dictators? If so, what effect does this resemblance have on the purpose of the book? Be sure to provide specific evidence from the text as you write your essay.

(see the answer keys)

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