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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. What did the individual shown at the beginning of Section 5 give to the police that he is unsure of?

2. What is the name of the brother of the man who was killed at the beginning of the book, who talks to police about his death?

3. What profession does the man have in the story the old man tells at the beginning of Section 4?

4. What does the captain suggest is the reason for the man being shot during his interview with the informant on the mafia?

5. What is the name of the individual shown at the beginning of Section 5?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does an old man describe Little Priest's work as a spy in Section 4?

2. What is the nature of the letter Little Priest sends to police in Section 5?

3. What is the nature of the anonymous letters the police receive in Section 1?

4. What does Mrs. Nicolosi reveal to police regarding a nickname in Section 3?

5. What is the nature of the information Little Priest gives to the captain in Section 2?

6. How does an old man say a man becomes cuckolded in Section 4?

7. How is Little Priest's quality of life described while working as a police informant?

8. What is the nature of the conversation between two men at the beginning of Section 3 regarding the mafia?

9. What is the nature of most of the bus passengers police track down regarding the shooting in Section 1?

10. How does Little Priest die?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A main theme presented throughout the book is an analysis of the nature of Sicilian society in the 1960s. Part 1.) What can we learn about the fear many Sicilians had based on the reactions of the bus passengers onboard when Salvatore is shot? Part 2.) What evidence is present to suggest the mafia is responsible for many of the actions of the Sicilian society during the 1960s based on their portrayal in this book? Part 3.) What possibility is there of the police seeing a change in the nature of the Sicilian society and how do they try and achieve this change?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the author's use of both psychological themes alongside realistic observations. How does the author's mixing of these two methods add complexity to the story and what are you able to learn after being given these two observations?

Essay Topic 3

The portrayal of corruption is an important theme found in the book that makes the reader question the similarities the police have with the mafia. Part 1.) How does the mafia use corruption as a means to an end in the book, namely in their business ventures? Part 2.) What is telling of the nature of the police based on their tendencies of corruption in the book? Part 3.) Is the corruption used by the police warranted given their desire to find justice or does this prove they are no more innocent than the mafia?

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