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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 many men attempted to run away from the Gulag prison system?

2. What was the name given to the guard who was in charge of waking the prisoners up in the morning?

3. Which of the following actions did Solzhenitsyn do trying to infuriate those who took joy in his arrest?

4. How long did prisoners usually cling to the hope that their arrest has been a mistake?

5. Where did Solzhenitsyn meet Igor Tronko?

Short Essay Questions

1. What made the first two hours of the day the most difficult for Solzhenitsyn?

2. How did Chulpenyev react to the charges brought against him in Mongolia in 1941?

3. What reason does Solzhenitsyn give for the mass arrests that were sweeping through Russia during the time of Gulag's height?

4. What happened in the 1960s when 70 judges were brought before the Supreme Court to justify their actions in the Gulag trials?

5. Why was Solzhenitsyn arrested, and what was his reaction?

6. How did families typically react when they saw a family member arrested?

7. How did the prisoners feel about the offer of joining the white battalion?

8. How does Solzhenitsyn define evil?

9. How did Solzhenitsyn feel about prison during the first few days he spends there?

10. What is the typical reaction most prisoners had during the first 24 hours after their arrest and imprisonment in Gulag?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

During their interrogation periods, many prisoners were tortured by the guards. First, list at least five ways that prisoners were tortured, and what information guards hoped to elicit from these methods. Then, explain how torture led to false imprisonments and wrongful sentencing.

Essay Topic 2

Before prisoners were sent to the Gulag camps, they had to go through an intense legal proceeding. Describe the timeline of events each new arrested individual would go through before arriving at Gulag prisons. Explain how the random nature of Russia's legal system created confusion and disorganization among the interrogation guards.

Essay Topic 3

When people were sent to a Gulag labor camp, it was particularly difficult for their families. Explain how families tried to cope when one of their members was sent away. Give at least two ways prisoners attempted to stay in contact with their families even during their imprisonment.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 907 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample