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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 inside the ditch for the new fortifications?

2. Who does Ibn slay inside the hall?

3. What does Ibn see in the caves at first?

4. What do the warriors follow?

5. What does Ibn see as they enter the land of the wendol?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Buliwyf sit with Ibn and how does Buliwyf talk?

2. What do the Northmen do around mid-morning the day after the second battle?

3. What does Ibn see as the wendol approach at night and what does he think it is?

4. How does Herger take care of a man who wants to kill Buliwyf?

5. What does Buliwyf do the night the wendol attack after they kill the mother and how does he look?

6. What does Herger tell Ibn about why the Vikings are not more excited after the first battle?

7. Where does Ibn awake after the battle and what does he see as he walks across the compound?

8. How does Ibn meet up and get to know a Northwoman?

9. What is one of the new defenses around Hurot and what do the women do with water and why do they do it?

10. What do the dwarfs give the warriors and what do they say to Buliwyf's question about a successful attack?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Rothgar has five sons who should have been able to gather a suitable war party to face the wendol. However, the sons of Rothgar are too concerned with obtaining their father's throne to notice that the kingdom they wish to rule is under attack. Wiglif is more concerned with whether or not Buliwyf means to take Rothgar's throne than the fact there may soon be no village left to rule.

1. If Rothgar's five sons are fighting each other for his position, what does this say about what kind of kings the sons might be? Use examples from the text and your research to support your answer.

2. In view of the fact that Rothgar's sons could pull together enough men to fight the wendol why do you think Buliwyf should go help Rothgar? Use examples from "Eaters of the Dead" and your own life to support your answer.

3. How does the cliche: "Can't see the apple for the tree," relate to what Rothgar's sons are doing? Use examples from "Eaters of the Dead" and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

The Northmen realize they are often gone at sea for long periods of time and with little hope of return. Because of their lifestyle, they do not expect their women to remain chaste. Although Ibn Fadlan views the behavior of the Northmen as uncouth, the reader may begin to realize that in many aspects the Northmen have a very practical approach to life.

1. How do you think the fact that Northmen are gone from their families for long periods of time might affect their culture? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

2. Does the fact that the Northmen do not expect them women to remain chaste seem to be a very modern idea? Why or why not? Use examples from "Eaters of the Dead" and your own life to support your answer.

3. Discuss ways in which you have noticed the Northmen taking a practical approach to life. Use examples from "Eaters of the Dead" and your research to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Crichton discusses the differences between Ibn Fadlan's observations about the Vikings and the common European view of the Northmen. Crichton reviews the numerous ways that show the Vikings were not the barbarians Europeans made them out to be. The Viking lifestyle is surprisingly modern with a strong sense of ritual.

1. Ritual is important in most civilizations. Support or refute the following statement with supporting reasons: Low technological societies or early civilizations had more ritual than modern civilizations. Use examples from Eaters of the Dead and your own life to support your answer.

2. The Europeans had a very negative view of the Northmen which Ibn shares until he spends some time with them and actually know them. In view of this explain how the cliche "You can't tell a book by its cover," applies to the situation between the view of the European towards the Northmen and Ibn's final views of the Northmen. Use examples from Eaters of the Dead and your own life to support your answer.

3. Why do you think rituals are important to human culture? Use examples from "Eaters of the Dead" and your own life to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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