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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 is Mendel using to study Circus headquarters?

2. Whom does Tarr get to decipher a message from Alleline?

3. What kind of identity does Jim tell Max to get when they are going to work together?

4. Whom does the message from Alleline say Tarr should talk to?

5. Who says, "I won't have bloodshed. I want absolute calm"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do all the men say goodbye to each other after Haydon is revealed as the mole?

2. What does Jim tell Max about their covers in preparation for their big mission?

3. How does Smiley figure out who the mole is?

4. What does Mendel report to Smiley when he is watching Circus headquarters in Chapter 35?

5. What is the Minister concerned about in Chapter 33?

6. After Jim is caught, what does he plan to tell his interrogators?

7. What does Jim do when he sees Smiley at Thursgood's?

8. Why does Haydon say he had an affair with Ann?

9. Why does Smiley tell Sercombe they must stop the negotiations with the Americans about the secret annex on Witchcraft?

10. What happens when Jerry tells Toby about the story a man in Prague tells him about Jim?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explore the theme of paranoia in the novel. Cite two instances where characters show signs of being paranoid. How do they behave as a result? Does their paranoia help protect them from danger? Use examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Explore the character Bill Roach. Why do you think he plays such a large role in Jim's part of the story? What does he represent? Do you think it is important that he share a first name with Haydon?

Essay Topic 3

The novel opens and closes with Jim Prideaux teaching at Thursgood's, even though George Smiley is arguably the main character. What do you think framing the story with Jim represents? Why do you think the story opens and closes at the school?

(see the answer keys)

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