View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. By what name do the Polish people know the stranger?

2. What does the stranger offer to buy from Pan Andrew Charnetski?

3. In Chapter 7, what tempting thing does Tring tell Kreutz?

4. At the palace gate, what suggestion does the guard give to Pan Andrew?

5. When Joseph further investigates Elzbietka's concerns, what does he see?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Explain how the Polish people feel as they have to leave their villages because they know the Tartars are arriving.

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

4. Describe the tower from which Pan Andrew has to perform his job.

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

6. Describe the oath that the trumpeter takes.

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

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

9. Why does Joseph catch the wolf dog in Chapter 2?

10. How does Peter of the Button Face plan to break into Pan Andrew's apartment and steal the treasure in Chapter 9?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses both foreshadowing and suspense throughout the book. Explain which one is more effective as a literary device, which one you enjoy reading more, and reasons why.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast culture and academics in Krakow in 1462 with the culture and academics in Krakow in 1928 at the time of the author's writing. Are they all that different? Why do you think that modern culture has roots that extend to times of centuries gone by?

Essay Topic 3

What historical understanding about the Middle Ages did you gain from reading this novel? Do you think that this type of history presentation is an effective way of teaching the subject matter? Why or why not? Would you have preferred to learn about Krakow from a text book?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 849 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample