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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. How did Isabel convince Ruth to leave the laundry?

2. When General Washington arrived, how many soldiers were in Williamsburg?

3. Why did Isabel and Curzon decide to part ways in Williamburg?

4. While in WIlliamsburg, where did Isabel learn news of the war?

5. Why could Aberdeen not convince Ruth to run away with him?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Isabel think digging the trench was a bad idea?

2. Why was Aberdeen curious about Isabel favoring the British?

3. Why did Isabel decide that she and Ruth could not travel with the women of the army?

4. How did Isabel's feelings towards Aberdeen change by the time she encountered him hiding in the bushes?

5. Why did Isabel say that her purpose was to find Ruth some gingerbread?

6. Why was Isabel cheered by Kate and Elspeth's frustration at the extra work they had to do after the storm?

7. How did Isabel's narration during her fake kiss with Curzon indicate that she may have had romantic feelings towards him?

8. Why did Mister Hallahan not pay Isabel for her work in the tavern?

9. Why was Isabel angered when she heard the minister's sermon at Bruton Parish Church?

10. Why was Isabel grateful that Ruth did not say anything in the presence of Sergeant Armstrong?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay exploring the theme of finding one's purpose in Ashes. Where does this theme originate? Which characters have a purpose? How do the characters' purposes grow and change throughout the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Isabel often jumps to conclusions about what people are thinking based on their actions. Write an essay describing some situations in which she does this and explaining how it affects the way she interacts with her companions.

Essay Topic 3

Any novel set during a war is obviously rife with external conflict. But characters in Ashes all experience internal conflict as well. Choose three characters from Ashes and analyze one major internal conflict, as well as one major external conflict, that each one faces. Which conflict affects each character most?

(see the answer keys)

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