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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 Umm Saad say about children?

2. What year in school are Suhail and Nabil?

3. Why does Suhail put his arm in the grave instead of Nabil?

4. In "A Hand in the Grave," who offers to give up the scheme?

5. How often does Umm Saad visit someone after her move?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Umm Saad want to support her son?

2. How do Nabil and Suhail react upon entering the graveyard?

3. Why is Umm Saad disappointed when the narrator tells her that soldiers have no need for mothers?

4. What does Nabil's physical appearance at the beginning of the story say about him?

5. How does Jadaan show his indifference to everyone around him?

6. In "The Falcon," where did the gazelle go when it left, and why?

7. What does the father's religiousness foreshadow in "A Hand in the Grave"?

8. How is Umm Saad related to the narrator, and how is this revealed?

9. How do the images of Umm Saad vary, regarding her temperament?

10. How is Abdallah different from Jadaan in their jobs?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"If You Were a Horse" contains a prominent theme of superstition. What is the superstition? How does superstition play a role in the story , and how does the son come to believe it, though his logic tells him otherwise? How does the father feel about superstition? Remember to answer each question with evidence from the story.

Essay Topic 2

"Men in the Sun" portrays different characters trying to get better opportunities for themselves and their families. How do the characters strive for better lives, specifically? Where do the men want to go for better opportunities? Describe the journey to get there. Remember to answer each question with evidence from the story.

Essay Topic 3

The themes of courage and cowardice are prominent in "Letter from Gaza." How does cowardice play a role in the story? How does courage play a role in the story? Which display is strongest--the cowardice or the courage, and with whom? Remember to answer each question with specific examples from the story.

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This section contains 625 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample