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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. How large were the wounds suffered by Cuchulainn and his foster-brother after the second day of fighting?

2. What is the name of the royal healer who restores the Ulster warrior's health?

3. Section VI tells how the army is led to which community?

4. Who warns Cuchulainn that Medb is planning to ambush him?

5. Which warrior refuses to fight Cuchulainn in Section VII?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Cuchulainn's unusual connection with the gods? How does his god-like father help him heal as the great army gets closer to Ulster?

2. When Medb and Ailill get Fergus drunk and send him to fight Cuchulainn, why doesn't Cuchulainn kill him?

3. How does Fergus lose his sword? What does he do without it?

4. Why does Cuchulainn strut around the day after his bloody, warp-spasm induced battle?

5. Chapter XIII contains a long list of great warriors as described by two people. Who are the people and what differs about their descriptions of the great warriors?

6. Why does Ailill mock Fergus after he loses his sword? In what other way does Ailill mock Fergus and why?

7. Specifically describe Cuchulainn's warp-spasm when he is older.

8. How does Ailill use the town fool and why is Cuchulainn aggravated by the situation?

9. How does the army attempt to move Donn Cuailnge from Black Cauldron to Conaille?

10. Why does Ailill enlist the help of a spy and what does the spy report back to Ailill?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Name three women from the novel and tell how each was important to the story. Give a brief character description of each as well.

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of Fergus to the story? How might the novel have differed if he had not been introduced?

Essay Topic 3

Define exposition and discuss the exposition of The Tain. What does the reader learn about Celtic culture from the exposition in The Tain? Is the information consistent throughout the book or does it change? Explain your answer and reasoning.

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