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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. Gorfyddyd is uniting the tribes against ____.

2. Sagramor's 150 ____ come into play.

3. Sagramor orders the retreat and, with no sign of reinforcements from Tewdric, falls back to the ____.

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

5. Galahad and Derfel are admitted to Gorfyddyd's great hall where Gundleus and ____ are enthroned beside him.

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How do Derfel and Nimue escape from the Isle Of The Dead?

3. Do you agree with Tristan arrives with six fighters from Kernow against his father's orders? Why or why not?

4. Do you agree with Arthur's attitude towards his enemies?

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

6. Why do you think that Derfel and Galahad became such good friends?

7. Describe everyone's arrival in Dumnonia after Merlin reveals himself.

8. Although the book seems, originally, to be about Arthur, who is the book really about and why?

9. 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.

10. Arthur feels that the war is his fault. Do you agree with that assessment? Why or why not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

The female characters in the story, such as Ceinwyn, are often used as pawns in a bid to win power or unite kingdoms. Write a detailed essay describing two times where that occurred in the novel and also describing how you feel about the women being used in such a way. Would you have done something differently, if you were in charge of the situation? 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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