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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 does Sharpe say is fitting for Christmas?

2. Who granted Gudin his eagle?

3. Where does Picard send the voltiguers?

4. Who is one of the first officers to spot Richard Sharpe's potential?

5. What does Cornwell say he never expected?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Harper think about the British coming into conflict with the French? What does Sharpe think about it? Why?

2. Where does Sharpe send his skirmishers? What is the result?

3. Why is Caillou angry at Gudin about the women, and why is Gudin walking?

4. What does Caillou object to with the leaving of the fort? How does he threaten Gudin? How does Gudin feel about Caillou's threat?

5. When does Sharpe think the French will arrive? What does he do for his men because of this?

6. How does Sharpe give the French warning, and why does he warn them?

7. What does Sharpe order when the French send in the voltiguers, and what does Sharpe's order tell the French?

8. What is Gudin told about Maria and what is his response?

9. How does Nicholls feel about Sharpe and Harper? What does he ask them? What is Sharpe's response?

10. What has Sharpe been doing for the past ten years? Whom does he command? Why? When do Sharpe and his men march? What does Sharpe ignore?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in Sharpe's Christmas.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of Sharpe's Christmas. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Sharpe's Christmas. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 2

Choose two of the following and compare and contrast the two people. Include in the discussion their type of leadership, their personality, their morals and whether you would like to serve under them.

1. Sharpe and Picard .

2. Harper and Sharpe.

3. Caillou and Gudin.

Essay Topic 3

Any work of fiction has some similarities, yet the structure can engender differences. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast how the structure of the short stories, Sharpe's Christmas and Sharpe's Ransom, informs the reading experience to how the structure of one of Cornwell's novels might do the same.

2. Many readers love novels and are indifferent to short stories, and vice versa. Discuss why you think some readers would enjoy one format over another.

3. Choose a short, one-act play and compare it to one of the short stories as far as how structure affects the reading experience.

(see the answer keys)

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