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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. Why is Nhamo sitting in a fig tree at the beginning of the book?

2. What comforts Nhamo after she is stung?

3. What is a nganga?

4. How old was Nhamo when her mother died?

5. What does Nhamo use to hollow out her boat?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Nhamo see as a positive sign from the spirit of the dead man in the hut?

2. What does Nhamo think her dream about Long Teats was trying to tell her?

3. What does Nhamo do for Masvita when she can't sleep?

4. What happens when Nhamo is stung while working on her boat?

5. What does the muvuki determine will be done to make payment for the dead man?

6. What does Nhamo decide to hunt, and why?

7. What changes in the village after the cholera passes?

8. How does Nhamo feel when the hippos are gone, and why?

9. What happens to Nhamo while she is fighting against the current, and what does this mean to her?

10. What happens when Nhamo's food rations run out?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Diversity and discrimination are two major and related themes in this book. Where do these themes appear, and how do they work together to propel the plot of the book?

Essay Topic 2

Compassion and empathy are themes present in a number of places in the plot. What are some of the best examples of this theme, and how did the presence of this theme affect the outcome of this book?

Essay Topic 3

Many characters in this book are forced to sacrifice much to obtain their goals. Who are some of these characters, and how do their sacrifices affect the other characters around them? Are these sacrifices worth the reward? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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