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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. Kovály discovers that the politicians wives are afraid of doing what?

2. Which of the following does NOT describe Kovály when she arrives at the camp?

3. To what kind of job does an old friend in the country urge Margolius to turn?

4. In 1941, to which ghetto is Kovály and her family taken?

5. During her time in hiding, what does Kovály spend a lot of her time doing?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Kovály and her friends decide to try to escape the camp guards?

2. How does Kovály get back to Prague?

3. What is the Czechoslovakian economy like around 1950-51?

4. What minor miracle does Bartos achieve for Kovály which enabled her to visit a hospital?

5. What happens when the Lodz Ghetto is liquidated?

6. After May 5th, 1945, what does Kovály observe in the final hours of the fight against the Germans?

7. What is said to have been the main topic of discussion for out of work Czechs after the war?

8. Why is Kovály hesitant to get involved with the Communist Party?

9. Why is Communism appealing to the Czech people after the war?

10. What does Kovály say many industrialists are unaware of during the war?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the conclusion of the memoir "Under A Cruel Star." What happens at the end of the story? Is it a happy ending? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia. When does it occur and how does it affect Kovály? Why does the Soviet Bloc feel compelled to occupy Czechoslovakia?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the Holocaust. How is it portrayed in "Under A Cruel Star"? What is the Holocaust and why does it occur? What is Hitler's role in this horrific chapter in human history?

(see the answer keys)

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