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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 does Will do in his first few matches?

2. What happens to slaves who go to the place in question #137?

3. How do the winners celebrate their victories?

4. Why does Will worry about his action in question #150?

5. What does Will have to change in his master's bed?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Will get out of the city and who is waiting for him? What does that person do?

2. Where does Will keep notes and how does he hide them?

3. What is the final outcome of the games for the boys?

4. What happens as soon as Will arrives at his master's house?

5. What does Will's master tell him about how they conquered Earth?

6. Where does Will go to see Fritz who is sick and what does Fritz tell him?

7. When do Will and Beanpole arrive at the Games, who do they see there and what do they do when they arrive?

8. How does Beanpole feel about his efforts? What happens the day after the games end?

9. How does Will's master relax and what kind of information seems to fascinate him?

10. What does the city of the masters look like?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes, a book is 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 City of Gold and Lead is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD is one book in a series of novels involving Will, Beanpole and the other characters. Discuss the following.

1. What are two advantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

2. What is a disadvantage of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

3. Do you prefer to read a standalone book, or a series of books with the same main characters? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Beanpole saves Will's life a third time by cutting the mask off his face and allowing him to breath. While Will is brave and determined, he has two friends whose intelligence and strength have made his mission a success.

1. Discuss the differences between Will's maturity and Beanpole's. Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

2. Will's mission is successful because Fritz sacrificed himself and Beanpole never gave up on him. Discuss how having friends help a person with a mission, or work or a difficult situation is always better than being by oneself. Illustrate your statements with details from the text.

3. Discuss the three character traits, intelligence, strength and courage and what you consider to be the most important trait for completing any difficult task. Why did you chose that trait? How might courage, for example, be important but perhaps not enough if a person doesn't have enough intelligence to evaluate the situation?

(see the answer keys)

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