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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 does the word "sabar" mean, as described in Chapter 7: “The Mufti Who Tried to Close Our School”?

2. Who was the president of the Islami Jamaat-e-Talaba group when Ziauddin was in college?

3. What favorite board game did the Taliban ban during its reign in Pakistan, according to Malala in Chapter 10: "Toffees, Tennis Balls and the Buddhas of Swat”?

4. When was the dancer Shabana killed by the Taliban?

5. What was the Richter Scale ranking of the earthquake that destroyed Malala's region in Chapter 8: “The Autumn of the Earthquake”?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Malala describe the history of the Swat Valley in Chapter 1: “A Daughter is Born”? What is Swat's relationship to Pakistan?

2. How did the culture of Pakistan change under the rule of General Musharraf, according to Malala in Chapter 7: “The Mufti Who Tried to Close Our School”?

3. How does Malala describe her first impressions of the Taliban members that began appearing in her village in Chapter 9: “Radio Mullah”?

4. How does Malala describe the role of the CIA in the Russian-Afghan War in Chapter 2: “My Father the Falcon”?

5. How does Malala introduce the reader to her world in the Swat Valley in Chapter 1: “A Daughter is Born”? What are the roles of women in Malala's culture?

6. How does Malala describe the arrival of the Taliban in her village in Chapter 9: “Radio Mullah”? How old was Malala when the Taliban arrived?

7. What does Malala say about conspiracies in Chapter 5 : “Why I Don’t Wear Earrings and Pashtuns Don’t Say Thank You”? What is the impact of this statement?

8. How does Malala describe the tribal feuds within the Swat Valley in Chapter 1: “A Daughter is Born”?

9. When does Malala describe the traditional celebration for the birth of a child in Chapter 4: “The Village”? Why did Malala's family not have a celebration for her birth?

10. What is a "mufti"? Who was the mufti that attempted to cross Ziauddin in Chapter 7: “The Mufti Who Tried to Close Our School”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the histories, divisions, beliefs, and customs of Sunnis and Shias. How do Sunnis and Shias differ in their beliefs? How are their customs different? How have Sunnis and Shias gotten along historically? To which of these denominations does Malala’s family descend?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of education and its importance to society as illustrated in I Am Malala. What does education signify to Ziauddin? What does it represent to Malala? How would you correlate the concepts of education and freedom? How many girls are allowed an education in Pakistan today?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of competition in I Am Malala. How does Malala describe the competition between herself and her peers in school? What are examples of competition Malala points out with her neighbor that stole her phone in Chapter 5? How does Malala feel about her competitive nature?

(see the answer keys)

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