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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. When is Chapter 51 set?

2. How much money does Laila hope to steal from Rasheed before she runs away in Chapter 34?

3. How old is Tariq when he reappears in Chapter 44?

4. What was the name of Rasheed's first son that drowned?

5. What television channel are Tariq and Laila watching as New York's Twin Towers are hit on 9/11?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are the themes of virtue and survivalism explored in Chapter 30?

2. What are the consequences of Mariam's and Laila's capture in Chapter 36?

3. How would you describe Laila's greatest struggle in Chapter 42? How does Laila's suffering influence your opinion of her character?

4. In Chapter 49, Laila and Tariq have their first argument as a married couple. What do they argue about?

5. What major political events are detailed in Chapter 49? What are Laila's thoughts on these events?

6. How are the themes of suffering and grief illustrated in Chapter 28?

7. How have the politics of Afghanistan changed in Chapter 37? What new regulations are announced?

8. How does Laila respond when she determines that she is pregnant in Chapter 38?

9. What is the greatest conflict that Laila faces in Chapter 31?

10. How would you describe the ending of the novel? Do you think the novel ends on a hopeful note? Why or why not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the political atmosphere of Kabul following Najibullah’s surrender in 1992. How many different factions in Afghanistan began warring against one another at this time? What were the objectives of each group? How were the everyday lives of Afghani citizens affected by these changes?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss marriage customs within Muslim society and girls’ education in Afghanistan in the 1960s and 1970s. Jalil has three wives in the novel. How common is it for Muslim men to have more than one wife? What customs surround marriage and courtship in Afghanistan, particularly in the 1960s?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the characters of Laila and Hakim in the novel. How does Laila’s relationship with her father differ from Mariam’s? How do Laila’s overall circumstances differ? What is Hakim’s profession? How would you describe Hakim’s relationship with his wife?

(see the answer keys)

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