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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. What is the name of the Kabul newspaper that has covered the renovation of the orphanage in Chapter 51?

2. Why do Rasheed and Laila argue about the baby's clothes in Chapter 33?

3. What happens to Rasheed's shoe store in Chapter 41?

4. What kinds of businesses does Abdul Sharif say he owns in Chapter 28?

5. What does the word "sawab" translate to in Chapter 36?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How would you describe the sacrifice that Mariam makes in Chapter 46? What are the consequences of this sacrifice?

3. How does Tariq's return affect Mariam and Laila's circumstances in Chapter 44? How does the author build tension in this chapter?

4. What choice does Laila face in Chapter 29? What circumstances dictate Laila's decision?

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

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

7. What decision has Laila reached in Chapter 49, and what has led her to this decision?

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

9. What symbolism and metaphors are explored through the death of Rasheed in Chapter 45?

10. How does Laila attempt to repay Mariam for her sacrifice in Chapter 50?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of hope, history, and love in A Thousand Splendid Suns. What symbolism supports these themes in the narrative? How does the novel’s title connect to these themes? How do these themes relate to one another?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the narrative style of the novel. Is the narrative related from a first, second, or third-person narrator? Is the narrator involved in the action of the story? How would the story differ if it were told from a different narrator?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of sacrifice in A Thousand Splendid Suns. In what ways does Mariam’s sacrifice give life and freedom to Laila and her children? Is Laila aware of the sacrifice that Mariam makes for her? What does Mariam’s act mean to Laila?

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