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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. Who are Smythe's "people"?

2. What is Smythe in search of for Professor Bengry?

3. As soon as Lot 42 is done, where does Bond head to?

4. What tactic is used to raise a Lot's price during an auction?

5. What is Dr. Fanshawe's expertise in?

Short Essay Questions

1. As Smythe ponders his decision to either return to England or end his life, he remembers his social plans of the night. Why does this routine cheer Smythe up all of a sudden, despite his dislike for his daily life?

2. Signaling a bid can take many forms. What sly way does the under-bidder communicate with Peter Wilson during the auction of the Emerald Sphere? How is this harder to detect?

3. How does Bond show that he loves and thrives off drama? Give examples from "The Property of a Lady".

4. Although Bond is there to return Smythe to England, how does Bond show mercy towards the man?

5. From what little is known about Oberhauser and his interactions with Smythe, what can the reader gather about his character?

6. In what way does Smythe lead his life? Is it successful or a failure?

7. Why does the KGB go through troubles of sending an expensive jewelry piece with a fake provenance, rather than pay a large sum to their double agent?

8. Describe the atmosphere of Sotheby's, the night of the auction of the Emerald Sphere? What are the rooms and people like?

9. Describe how Bond and Smythe are careful about their word choice and speech as they speak about Smythe's service in WWII.

10. During Smythe and Bond's talk in the living room, Smythe is slightly more relaxed to know that Bond smokes cigarettes. Why does Smythe feel this way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bond's character comes out here and there between the four short stories in "Octopussy and The Living Daylights." Explain his thought processes and how it matches or contrasts with his external persona. What is the same or different? What is the purpose in having a different exterior to the people he meets? What inner strengths carries through to the exterior?

Essay Topic 2

Smythe is hardly a man of determination, yet he feels the need to see through with his octopus experiment before he dies. Why does he feel this need? What satisfaction does this give him in the last minutes of his death?

Essay Topic 3

Common government laws such as that under British, American and Russian rule do not allow murder without punishment. However, each of these governments are fully aware of assignments that include snipers and murders to occur under government departments. According to each of these governments, when is murder necessary? When is it valid?

(see the answer keys)

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