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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. Whose side of the war is Teresa helping?

2. From what country is Captain Leroy?

3. What is Badajoz' size in relationship to Ciudad Rodrigo?

4. With whom has Sharpe begun a new romance in England?

5. What is Sharpe's relationship to the man in question # 65?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the assault on Ciudad Rodrigo seem to the British at first?

2. What do Sharpe and Hogan discuss when they see each other in Chapter 1?

3. What happens in Chapter 1 when night falls and what does Lawford send Sharpe and his company to do?

4. Who does Sharpe see in the new replacements that throws him off and what happens when he sees that person? How does he feel about the encounter?

5. What does Teresa ask Sharpe about during sex?

6. Why are Sharpe and Harper relieved about their company's role in the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo? What will their role be?

7. What do Harper and Sharpe run into as they begin to enter the city and what do they do about it?

8. What happens to Sharpe's and Teresa's relationship when the army leaves for Badajoz? Where will Teresa be staying in Badajoz? Upon what is she counting on from Sharpe?

9. Why might Badajoz be difficult to capture? Has anyone ever tried to capture it?

10. What is Lawford and Sharpe's relationship and how do they interact?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Richard Sharpe is in some ways a larger-than-life hero. Despite incredible odds, he usually comes out on top, in RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ and in the others in the series. Discuss the following:

1. Does having a larger-than-life hero make that person less of a hero? In other words, which is more admirable--a hero who ultimately always "lands on his feet," or one who strives against impossible odds and doesn't always succeed?

2. Does a character have to be successful in order to be a hero? Explain your answer.

3. Choose one other character besides Sharpe who you might call a hero/heroine and explain why you choose that person. Illustrate your statements with examples from the text.

4. Does every work of fiction have to have a hero? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Cornwell has tried as much as possible to use historical events and facts around which to weave his work of fiction. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ qualifies as an historical fiction? Why or why not?

2. If much of the events in the book are historical, what surprises you about the way the events play out?

3. Do you think the culture of that era is more or less advanced than you imagined? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following to discuss:

Lawford's injury is serious but not fatal, thanks to Sharpe's immediate intervention. The scene where Sharpe severs Lawford's ruined arm is graphic.

1. Compare/contrast the medical remedies used in RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ to that which would be done in our modern world.

2. Many wars are partially, if not completely, determined by factors other than the actual fighting. One of those factors is disease. Research and discuss how epidemics/pandemics have influenced the outcome of three different wars throughout history.

3. Discuss why men died so readily of wounds in RICHARD SHARPE AND THE SIEGE OF BADAJOZ that would be easily treated today.

(see the answer keys)

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