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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. Where does Zia take Wilson to tour?

2. How does Wilson deal with the CIA during the first leg of the trip?

3. When a recruiter from IBM presents a lucrative offer, why does Avrakotos refuse it?

4. Why does Avrakotos believe that he stands little chance of receiving a substantial promotion?

5. How does Wilson celebrate the charges being dropped?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Joanne Herring advise Zia to do? Does he do this?

2. What strategy does Wilson employ when running for office?

3. What does Wilson do after returning from Pakistan?

4. How does Zia feel about Americans, in the beginning? How does the CIA feel about Afghanistan?

5. How does the person and place of the book change abruptly in Chapter Three?

6. How is a job selling cigarette machines helpful to Avrakotos?

7. What does Avrakotos do in 1962?

8. How does Avrakotos feel about Wilson's rationale for money? How does he act publicly?

9. What does Charlie Wilson do on June 27, 1980?

10. What makes Wilson the first congressman to give money to the CIA?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Joanne Herring convinces President Zia to befriend Wilson.

Part 1) Why does she believe this is a good idea?

Part 2) Why does President Zia agree to befriend Wilson?

Part 3) How does this affect events that take place after their first meeting? How would history have been different if these two had never met?

Essay Topic 2

Wilson stays sober for eighteen months.

Part 1) What does this foreshadow?

Part 2) What does he do during these eighteen months? Are his actions different now that he is sober? Explain.

Part 3) How and why does he revert back to previous behaviors?

Essay Topic 3

The CIA begins to worry that putting the deadly mujahideen in charge will not be in any country's best interest.

Part 1) Who are the mujahideen? Why does the CIA not trust them?

Part 2) What does this worry foreshadow?

Part 3) What are Wilson's thoughts about the mujahideen?

(see the answer keys)

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