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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. The group continues to experience tough conditions, with _________ entering their clothing and their baggage as they travel.

2. What is the magistrate unable to provide when the girl asks him why he wants her to be back with him?

3. In order to shorten their trip, the magistrate and the soldiers decide to take a path that has ___________________.

4. What grows after the men begin to realize the purpose of the trip to the barbarians?

5. The barbarians stay away from the town during the winter months, dealing with the _____________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the result of the raid that the Colonel tries to arrange with the help of the boy who he has interrogated?

2. What does the magistrate find when he goes to visit the family who has been tortured by the Colonel?

3. What happens when the group encounters a strong storm right before they reach the mountains?

4. Why does the blind girl leave the magistrate's house after he offers her a job in his home?

5. What does the magistrate doubt about the Empire, as he thinks about the way they are handling the barbarians?

6. What happens when there is little food left after eight days of travel in the mountains?

7. What does the boy admit to when he is being interrogated by the Colonel during the beginning of the book?

8. What happens when the group encounters some indigenous people as they are traveling on the tenth day?

9. What happens to the family that the Colonel wants to interrogate when they come into town?

10. Why is the magistrate nervous about leaving his position even as he is approaching retirement?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The magistrate is supposed to have a trial in order to have issues about his performance handled, but the colonel does not want this to happen.

Part 1: Why do you think the magistrate wants to have his case handled by a trial?

Part 2: How do you think the problems of a magistrate should be handled?

Part 3: Why do you think the colonel doesn't want a trial to happen?

Essay Topic 2

The magistrate becomes confused as he begins to be attracted to the girl who he meets and brings into his home.

Part 1: Why do you think that the magistrate is attracted to the girl he's brought into his home?

Part 2: Do you think that the girl is attracted to the magistrate? Why or why not?

Part 3: Why do you think these two people are drawn to each other in this story?

Essay Topic 3

Living in fear seems to be the natural response for the people in the area, but this seems to create a strange way to live.

Part 1: Why do you think that living in fear is the natural response for the people in the area?

Part 2: Do you think that you could live in fear? Why or why not?

Part 3: How do you think living in fear affects those who are in that area?

(see the answer keys)

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