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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. How much time does Roland give the American Allegiance to provide the Army of Excellence with supplies?

2. How did Glory's husband die?

3. What does Swan find in the dead girl's hands?

4. What happens when Swan touches the glass ring?

5. Whom does the evil man attempt to attack?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Sister and Swan recover the glass ring?

2. Why does Robin want to see Swan?

3. What thoughts haunt Roland?

4. How does Swan defeat Friend in the end?

5. Why does the former President want to activate the doomsday device?

6. What effect does the shard from the glass ring have on Hugh?

7. Based on events at Mary's Rest and within the Army of Excellence, what effect do the Job's Masks appear to have on their wearer's faces?

8. What does Hugh say about the state of the western part of the United States ?

9. How does Roland feel about Macklin during the fighting with the American Allegiance and Mary's Rest?

10. How is Swan's group welcomed to Mary's Rest?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Macklin forms the Army of Excellence in order to expand his power and satisfy the depraved urges of the Shadow Soldier for blood and destruction. The Army is relatively successful under Macklin's command. It defeats many other armies and lays waste to Mary's Rest, nearly destroying everything that Swan and the other protagonists have worked for.

1) Explain how the Army of Excellence is formed, how it is commanded, organized, and run.

2) Describe the goals of the army and how is goes about achieving them.

3) Discuss the moral character of the army as a whole. What evil or unsavory acts does it condone? In what evil acts does it engage? What is Macklin's influence on these acts?

4) Summarize the effectiveness and success of the army, citing specific examples given in the book.

Essay Topic 2

Many people and artifacts exhibit miraculous powers throughout the novel. It is clear that after the blasts, the world has changed in some fundamental ways. Magical or divine powers are present in the world and commonplace in the narrative of the protagonists.

1) Discuss the individuals who are known to demonstrate supernatural powers. Speculate as to where and how these powers might originate.

2) Explain some of the artifacts that are known to possess supernatural powers. Where do these objects originate? Were they mundane before the blasts? What imbued them with power?

3) Describe some of the ways that these miraculous powers affect the plot of the novel. Explain situations wherein they were critical to the story. Explain other important situations where they were merely incidental, and the focus of the story is on the people and their interactions, feelings, or emotions.

Essay Topic 3

Leona introduces the theme of inner and outward beauty when she meets Swan. Soon after, the Job's Masks begin to take effect on many survivors.

1) Explain Leona's comments about a person's inner and outward face.

2) Discuss the impact that the Job's masks have on their wearers before the masks' real function becomes widely known.

3) Describe the function of Job's Masks and use specific examples to explain how they help to reflect a person's inner beauty or ugliness.

4) Speculate as to the intent and purpose behind the Job's Masks and describe what kind of a being would have an interest in bringing about the masks' observed effects.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 909 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample