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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 punishment for adultery, according to the Taliban's flyers in Chapter 37?

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

3. Who hires Tariq to work as a handyman at his motel after Tariq gets out of prison?

4. What do Mariam and Laila begin sharing each night together in the yard in Chapter 35?

5. According to Shari'a law under the Islamic State of Afghanistan, women are permitted to travel under what condition?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How have the political changes in Afghanistan influenced Rasheed's behavior in Chapter 38?

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

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

5. How are the circumstances and lives of Laila, Tariq, and their children described in Chapter 51?

6. What transition takes place in Chapter 27? What circumstances are established at the beginning of this chapter?

7. What leads to the development of friendship between Laila and Mariam in Chapter 33?

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Describe and discuss the history, implementation, and tenets of Shari'a Law in Afghanistan. When in Afghanistan’s history was the wearing of burqas first enforced? What limitations do women face regarding travel under Shari’a Law? How does this enforcement play a role in the actions of Mariam and Laila in the story?

(see the answer keys)

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