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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 prison that Mariam is sent to in Chapter 47?

2. What gift does Tariq give to Laila in a paper bag during his visit in Chapter 44?

3. Who was the interim president of Afghanistan in July of 2002?

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

5. About how long after Laila has been recovering at Rasheed's home does Abdul Sharif come looking for her in Chapter 27?

Short Essay Questions

1. What leads to the capture or Mariam and Laila in Chapter 36?

2. When does Chapter 42 take place? What are the circumstances like at this time for Laila and Mariam?

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

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

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

6. How do the conflicts between Laila and Mariam develop in Chapter 32?

7. How are the conditions described when Laila gives birth in Chapter 39? Where does Laila give birth?

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the setting of Herat, Afghanistan in the 1960s. Who was the leader of the country at this time? What was the political atmosphere like? How many people lived in Herat? How was wealth distributed in the country and the city? Where does Mariam live with her mother at this time? What is their home like?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Mir Akbar Khyber’s assassination and the politics in Afghanistan in 1978. What were the repercussions of the assassination? How did this change the political atmosphere in Kabul? How did this event contribute to the downfall of President Daoud Khan's government?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the character of Mariam as one of the two protagonists in A Thousand Splendid Suns. How old is Mariam when she is introduced? What is Mariam’s relationship like with each of her parents? Whom is Mariam closest to? Why?

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