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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 Cornish McManus make out of rough-sawn "blanks"?
2. What surprises Cornish McManus the most when first he test fires the rifle?
3. In the rifle that Cornish McManus builds, what strikes a steel surface to fire the gun?
4. In Cornish McManus' opinion, what is the most significant aspect of a rifle?
5. Most rifles of the American Revolutionary War period were .58 to .75 caliber. What caliber was Cornish McManus' "sweet" rifle?
Short Essay Questions
1. Most gunsmiths would test their barrels early in the manufacturing process, to avoid wasting time finishing faulty barrels. Cornish McManus does not test his barrel until the entire gun is finished. Why?
2. Describe how the British are presented in the novel.
3. The last time he loaded his rifle, John Byam used an extraordinary amount of care during the process. Do you think he always was so careful when loading?
4. Why does John Byam offer so much wealth in exchange for Cornish McManus' "sweet" rifle?
5. Why do the British hang Cornish McManus?
6. What aspect of Cornish McManus's personality, that John Waynewright dislikes, allows him to build a "sweet" rifle?
7. How long does Cornish McManus own his "sweet" rifle before he sells it?
8. In reviewing John Byam's actions in the novel, would you consider him a hero?
9. Why does it take Cornish McManus so long to build the "sweet" rifle?
10. What was the leading cause of death among American Revolutionary War soldiers?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Describe the process of loading a muzzle-loading rifle. Describe why John Byam loaded the rifle the way that he did.
Essay Topic 2
Describe the early life and the family life of Richard Allen Mesinger. Why is it important within the narrative that Mesinger is a likable and typical teenager?
Essay Topic 3
Why does the novel spend so much time characterizing Richard Allen Mesinger? After all, his interaction with the rifle lasts less than one second and the narrative makes it clear that Mesinger never even knew he was being killed. Within the narrative, what difference does it make that Mesinger was who he was?
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This section contains 574 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) |
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