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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. Who hears the instructions given to Stas by the stranger?

2. What does Joseph Charnetski see as he is riding in the back of the wagon while in the caravan?

3. Where does Joseph find his family a place to stay?

4. When Joseph awakens from his nap in Chapter 4, what does he see his father doing?

5. Who tries to steal something from the Charnetski apartment?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 2, what does Pan Andrew Charnetski tell the guard when he arrives at the palace gates and what is the guard's response?

2. Provide some characteristics of the new lodgings for the Charnetski family.

3. What was the meeting between Joseph and Stas like in the courtyard as described in Chapter 6?

4. In Chapter 8, what reason does Joseph give Elzbietka for why the scholar they see is not speaking at the University?

5. In Chapter 9, is Peter of the Button Face successful in obtaining the treasure?

6. Describe how the people of Poland feel when they hear that the Tartars are marching toward their land?

7. List some of the things that Joseph sees and hears as he first sets his sights on the city in Chapter 2.

8. What is Joseph's father being accused of in Chapter 3?

9. Why do the Polish people decide not to defend Krakow and let the Tartars pillage their city?

10. Explain what Joseph Charnetski does and what he realizes when the stranger initially rides up to him while in the caravan in Chapter 1.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the fire. Discuss how the solution today for putting out fires is the same as the solution was in the Middle Ages. Compare today's methods of solving the problem with the methods of solving the problem in the Middle Ages. Do you think that the Middle Ages' method of putting out fires was smart and effective? Other than to teach a historically accurate event, why do you think the author goes to such great lengths to describe the methods of putting out the fire?

Essay Topic 2

Do you think that Peter of the Button Face's bargain with the king was fair? Do you think the king should have let Peter go in exchange for information? Or do you think he should have punished him more severely? Why do you think the king would have believed that Peter would never return to Poland again?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the conflict between superstition and science in the novel. Do you think this was an important issue to the author? What is he trying to portray by returning to this conflict? Does the conflict seem relevant to the main theme of the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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