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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. Who has been captured?

2. For what is Stephen Maturin most known?

3. What do McAdam and Maturin discuss?

4. Who does Maturin accidentally meet?

5. What do Aubrey's forces and British land forces do on La Reunion?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Clonfert capture a fort and what happens then?

2. How do the British officials at Cape Town feel about Aubrey's first naval action and what do they do there with the ships?

3. What happened to Corbett's ship?

4. What does Maturin say is the reason he has come to see Aubrey?

5. What does Aubrey do when he discovers he needs help? How does he feel about the response?

6. What news arrives in Cape Town, and what is Maturin given and why?

7. How does Clonfert react to Aubrey's victory and how does McAdam respond?

8. What does Maturin do on La Reunion?

9. Who does Aubrey meet with in Cape Town?

10. What does Aubrey do with his pennant and what does Bertie tell him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Readers learn that Aubrey's ship surgeon is heavily addicted to opium. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think the use of opium is not regulated as it is today?

2. Do you think it is a more or less enlightened society that regulates personal drug use? Explain.

3. Do you think the execution of Maturin's duties are compromised by his frequent use of opium? Why or why not? Give examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Chapters 7 and 8 see Aubrey's command fall from the pinnacle of early success to the nearly catastrophic as unrestrained personal egos lead British forces to constant defeat. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think Aubrey tolerates his fleet taking so much independent action? Do you think he has a choice?

2. One of the traits of a good leader is to not over lead, yet offer enough leadership for the success of the mission. Analyze one battle from with this idea in mind and decide if Aubrey is a good leader.

3. What other traits of a good leader does Aubrey demonstrate?

4. Are there any leadership traits that Aubrey seems to lack? What are they?

Essay Topic 3

When one of the sailors on board Aubrey's ship has a skull fracture and subsequent operation, Aubrey links his chances of a successful naval battle with the successful recovery of the injured seaman. Aubrey, though very bright in many ways, is somewhat superstitious, a trait common to many sailors. Discuss the following:

1. What is superstition? Can you name a few common superstitions? Do any of them seem to have any validity in logic?

2. Why do you think sailors have the reputation for being superstitious? Do you think it is true? What superstitions are mentioned in Mauritius Command?

3. What are some of the superstitions you are familiar with that sailors seem to believe? Do you believe any of them? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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