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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 does Merlin see in Caerleon?

2. What are the men trying to bring down at Killare?

3. Who did Merlin find the old mine with long ago?

4. What two things are moving together in Merlin's vision?

5. What does Merlin NOT do upon his return home?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to Vortigern and the Queen?

2. Why was Killare thought of as a holy place?

3. What does Cadal say about Merlin's vision?

4. Why does Uther have no problem going up into the Lady Ygraine's room?

5. What does Merlin realize as he is sitting watching the battle at Maesbeli?

6. What does Merlin realize about the falling walls?

7. How is Lady Niniane described in this section?

8. What happens to help Merlin explain why the diggers have not found anything?

9. Why do King Vortigern and his men want to kill Merlin?

10. What does Merlin attend with Ambrosius?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea that Merlin is a bastard child is something that haunts him and then helps him in the story. Being singled out seems to have given him an advantage over his companions.

Part 1 - What are the results of Merlin's reputation as a bastard child when he is young? When he is older?

Part 2 - Does this label seem to affect Merlin? If so, how? If not, why not?

Part 3 - When Merlin does discover who his father is, what does that mean to him?

Essay Topic 2

The idea of the sight in this story is another recurrent idea. Some characters have the sight, but not everyone chooses to use it as others do.

Part 1 - List as many characters as you can that have the gift of the sight at any point in the novel.

Part 2 - What does the sight allow these characters to do?

Part 3 - What is the significance of the sight? What does it mean in a larger sense? What does it create for the novel?

Essay Topic 3

The Crystal Cave is not only the title, but also a major setting in this story. To Merlin, it is a sort of birthplace for his powers and also a place where he restores himself.

Part 1 - Describe the appearance of the Crystal Cave and how Merlin came to find it in the first place.

Part 2 - Give at least 3 examples of lessons Merlin learned while in the Crystal Cave.

Part 3 - What do you think the Crystal Cave represents in the story? What is the larger metaphor for the cave's presence?

(see the answer keys)

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