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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. Who died suddenly and put the current High King in charge?

2. Who pushes Merlin to learn to read and to write?

3. Who is Merlin's mother?

4. Of whom does Belasius speak to Merlin?

5. What happens when the stranger lights a candle in the crystal chamber?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Merlin overhear when he is hiding under the house?

2. What causes the other men in the pub to turn and to stare at Dinias and Merlin?

3. What does Dinias say about the pub to which he invites Merlin?

4. What does Merlin tell Ambrosius about Lady Niniane?

5. What happens after Merlin escapes?

6. How would Merlin be described when he was a young boy?

7. What happens to Merlin as they journey by boat?

8. What does Merlin see when he enters the cave?

9. What was the significance of the scene Merlin saw with the bull?

10. Why does Ulfin go to Belasius to tell him that Merlin needs a new pony?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Merlin may be intelligent, but he is also a survivor. He is willing to fight for his life, as needed.

Part 1 - Describe the times in which Merlin has battled the elements. What did he do to keep himself safe and sound?

Part 2 - How does the environment affect the actions of Merlin? What do the elements cause him to do?

Part 3 - When Merlin is freezing outside of the town in Book Two, what does he do to survive?

Essay Topic 2

Time seems to be scattered in this novel, with time slowing down and then speeding up at irregular intervals.

Part 1 - What is the importance of time in this novel? Is it important? Why?

Part 2 - What does Merlin's storytelling and the lapses in the time periods seem to say about Merlin?

Part 3 - Can the reader understand the story when it's not told in a linear fashion? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Foreshadowing plays a major role in this novel, giving the characters a sense of what might happen as well as helping the reader to see how the story may or may not unfold.

Part 1 - Give at least three examples of foreshadowing in the novel.

Part 2 - Describe each example of foreshadowing, the setting, and whether it came true the way it was perceived.

Part 3 - Why do you think foreshadowing is used in this story? What does it contribute to the story? To the characters? To the outcomes?

(see the answer keys)

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