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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. Guinevere comes close to treason by telling Derfel that Isis determines who sits on ____.

2. As Gundleus greets his wife, he plunges his sword into her and stabs the ____.

3. Merlin has a secret ____.

4. As the war goes well, Gundleus comes to take Mordred to Caer Cadarn for acclamation as ____.

5. ____ is the name of the High King who was in his last year, as the monk's story began.

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the High Council's attitude toward what is going on with Arthur and Mordred as they hold their meeting.

2. Explain Derfel's inner conflict when Tristan arrives demanding justice for the tin miners.

3. Explain why Uther holds the first High Council in Britain in sixty years.

4. In general, what sort of attitude does Arthur seem to have up to this point in the story?

5. Describe Norwenna's attitude, after Uther's death.

6. Why does Derfel understand, and even respect, Arthur's plan to elope?

7. Explain how Arthur uses bribery to get what he wants, but it backfires, in relation to Powys and Siluria. What does that say about bribery in general.

8. Describe the baby that is born at the start of the novel.

9. Explain how Arthur treats Gundleus and your opinions of it.

10. Explain how Arthur winds up killing Owain.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Inner conflict is a major problem for certain characters in the story. For example, Derfel feels conflicted about his knowledge of the tin miners incident. Arthur feels conflicted about his marriage to Ceinwyn and later, about having to trade innocent lives for help in the larger battle.

Part 1: Explain two other examples of characters with inner conflicts in the book.

Part 2: Do you agree with how those inner conflicts are resolved? Why or why not? If not, what would you do differently?

Part 3: In what ways did those inner conflicts create exterior conflicts? For example, in the case of Arthur being conflicted over marriage, it sparked an entire war.

Essay Topic 2

Lancelot is disliked by both Galahad and Derfel, in the story, partly because he is a liar. Yet, Merlin seems respected by all, even though he lies, in a way, by concealing his identity and suddenly revealing himself before leading Galahad and Derfel to safety by boat. Using at least one example from the book per question, answer the following questions:

Part 1: Why do you think that Lancelot felt a need to lie?

Part 2: Why do you think that Merlin felt a need to conceal his identity?

Part 3: Do you think that Merlin was just as bad as Lancelot because, in a way, he was lying? Why or why not?

Part 4: In real life, do you feel that there are any situations where it's good to lie or conceal the truth? If not, why not? If so, explain and list an example fromt he story that compares to that real-life situation.

Essay Topic 3

The entire novel is told from Derfel's perspective, but perspective can alter the way a story is remembered or retold.

Part 1: How accurate or inaccurate do you think Derfel's perspective was throughout the story and why?

Part 2: Do you think that Derfel told the story with a specific emphasis on one particular theme, such as love, religion or honor, or do you think he told a well-rounded story?

Part 3: Which character in the story do you feel would have disagreed with Derfel's interpretation the most and why? Use at least two examples from the story to back up your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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