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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. As Nimue leads the men, they set fire to ____.

2. Galahad and Derfel, now fast friends and nearly brothers, race to the ____.

3. Ligessac points out Derfel to Gorfyddyd and the hall echoes with calls for ____.

4. As Derfel confronts Tanaburs, who comes to deal with Gundleus?

5. Derfel believes that Merlin has gone to ____ Nimue on the Isle Of The Dead.

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain what Queen Igraine thinks of Derfel's love for Ceinwyn and why Derfel takes offense to her opinion.

2. If you were Derfel, how would you feel about your first ride on a horse being disguised as a servant?

3. Explain what Arthur says tot he men before the battle, how the men react and what that says about Arthur's strength of character.

4. Explain how the end of the section where Arthur tries to get Lancelot and Galahad to make up lays the framework for Derfel's next mission.

5. Do you agree with Nimue being imprisoned as a witch?

6. Explain how the line between Christians and Pagans are blurred as they all prepare to battle again.

7. How does Derfel describe the battle of Lugg Vale?

8. Define the relationship between Derfel and Tanaburs and how that relationship is resolved at the end of the book.

9. Explain the two main parts of the battle plan.

10. Do you agree with Tewdric's reaction to the battle?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A big problem in the book is the conflict between the Pagan and Christian religions.

Part 1: Explain the differences between the two religions, based on what you learned in the book. Use at least three specific examples from the book to back up your answer.

Part 2: List at least three Pagan characters and at least three Christian characters in the book, besides Derfel, who are at different points.

Part 3: Why do you feel that, in modern times, people of different religions can coexist peacefully, but they couldn't in Arthur's times?

Essay Topic 2

The author uses a technique of telling a story within a story. Using at least three examples from the novel, explain whether or not you feel that it was good for the author to tell the story through Derfel's eyes and have Derfel tell the story to the Queen. In other words, do you feel that Derfel's discussions with the Queen actually added anything to the story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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