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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. Even with _________________ soldiers, Darius was unable to outsmart Alexander, who perfectly executed a plan to attack Darius from the rear rather than wait to face the ruler head on at Cilicia.

2. One of the main benefits of battle for Wellington was what?

3. Alexander could, however, claim an abundance of natural resources, livestock, grains, and fertile lands. The latter was due in part to what?

4. When was Alexander born?

5. Technically, the victory in battle meant that Alexander was now what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Wellington's life reveal that he was a man of great persistence, resilience, and fortitude?

2. How was Alexander's melodramatic personality both a help and a hindrance?

3. How was Wellington rewarded for his military success? Why was he rewarded in this way?

4. What did Wellington do when the French set fire to the chateau at Hougomont? Why did he do this?

5. How was Wellington able to win the Battle of Waterloo? Could it have been won without him? Could it have been won without the aid of the Prussians? Why or why not?

6. Why might the author use the word "abstractedly" to describe Wellington?

7. Describe the army Alexander inherited from his father.

8. In Chapter Two, "Wellington the Man," what does the author reiterate? Why?

9. Compare the upbringing of both Wellington and Alexander.

10. To whom does Keegan compare Alexander the Great in Chapter One? What is the outcome of this comparison?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Alexander had great orations skills.

Part 1) Describe the speaking skills of all the leaders discussed in this book. Overall, do they have effective speaking and communication skills? Explain.

Part 2) Is the ability to speak well important for a leader? Why or why not? Are our leaders today great speakers? Explain.

Part 3) What other skills are necessary for a leader to be successful? What lesser skills are also useful for a leader to have? Why?

Essay Topic 2

The author spends a great deal of time detailing the daily routines of several leaders.

Part 1) Describe these daily routines. What is revealed about these leaders? Why is this information important to the author?

Part 2) What do many of the leaders' daily routines have in common? What does this reveal about these leaders? What might this reveal about many or most leaders?

Part 3) Describe your own daily routine. How does it compare to the daily routines of the leaders in this book? What does your daily routine reveal about you?

Essay Topic 3

The leaders discussed in this book had a variety of military strategies.

Part 1) Choose four leaders to analyze. Describe each leader's military strategies. How effective were these strategies? How do these strategies reflect each leader's personalities?

Part 2) How important was the technology at the time, the size of the military, and the abilities of the enemy to the leaders' strategies?

Part 3) What factors might influence a leader's strategies and tactics today? How do these factors compare to factors in the past?

(see the answer keys)

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