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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 Pantaleon say the co-pilot will do?

2. Why does Carriscant supposedly visit Paton Bobby?

3. What does Bobby say about Carriscant regarding the two murders?

4. Why does Carriscant contact people in the black market after talking with Delphine?

5. What was the outcome of Carriscant's trial?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Cruz enraged and Carriscant embarrassed?

2. What happens to Carriscant before he can flee the country?

3. How does Annaliese become pregnant with Kay?

4. What do Bobby and Carriscant discuss about the recent murder?

5. What does Carriscant say about possible motives for the death of the soldiers?

6. Where is Seiverance going and what does he do in preparation?

7. What details about her life does Delphine tell Carriscant?

8. What happens when Carriscant meets Delphine and why does she reject him?

9. What happens to Carriscant's Chinese patient, and what does this set Carriscant to thinking?

10. Describe Delphine's surgery.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. Do you think there was enough hard evidence to convict Carriscant of the crimes for which he went to prison? Why or why not? Use examples from your life and The Blue Afternoon to support your discussion.

2. What mistakes do you think, in detail, Carriscant made which left him open to being charged with crimes he claims he did not commit? Use examples from your life and The Blue Afternoon to support your discussion.

3. Compare Carriscant's situation, going to prison for crimes he says he did not commit, versus Kay's partner, Meyersen, who seems to have committed several crimes against Kay yet not only did not go to prison but seems to have thrived from his nefarious behavior. Use examples from your life and The Blue Afternoon to support your discussion.

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of William Boyd.

2. What in Boyd's background may have helped him in writing The Blue Afternoon? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think The Blue Afternoon is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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