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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. Louise St. John is not really Mungo's wife. What happened to Mungo's wife at the beginning of the Civil War?

2. How far is it from Good Hope to the diamond fields that Zouga and his family journey to?

3. When Zouga goes off in search of men to work his claim, how many men are in the tribe Zouga comes upon?

4. Before embarking on the journey to Colesberg, how many years does Zouga spend chasing his grandiose dream?

5. Where does Zouga Ballantyne first hear the name Colesberg kopje?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe what married life was like for Zouga's wife.

2. How are edicts from the Digger's Committee enforced?

3. When Jordan accepts the job that is offered to him when he delivers the statue to its new owner, what is Jordan's first responsibility at his new job?

4. As the two men fight, Ralph is filled with hatred for his father. What is the source of Ralph's hatred?

5. After Mungo has been released from prison in Cape Town, Zouga loses contact with Mungo. How do they finally make contact with each other again?

6. Describe the reaction of Zouga's wife when she first arrives in Africa.

7. When the tribal warriors first reach the diamond claim, what does Jan Cheroot have to show them?

8. After the road caves in, why does Zouga send his Matabele down into the pressure crack that the water had opened?

9. What is Jordan's reaction when he learns about sex from Jan Cheroot after listening to Jan and Ralph talk?

10. According to the descriptions given in the book, what are a monkey and a donkey?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the characteristics, roles, loyalties, and agendas of the following people in the story: Zouga Ballantyne, Mungo St. John, King Lobengula, Boza, and Ralph Ballantyne.

Essay Topic 2

One of the main themes in this novel involves greed.

a. Identify three characters that are motivated by greed to further their interests.

b. How does greed affect these characters, their decisions, and their actions?

c. What is the outcome for these characters? Were they successful in their endeavors, or would they have been more successful if they had not been so greedy? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Wilbur Smith uses this story to examine the role that loyalty plays in our personal history, as well as in our daily lives. Examine the author's beliefs through his storytelling. Why would the author choose this story to overlay his demonstration of the consequences realized when loyalty are distorted or hidden? What did you learn from the author's discussion on loyalty? What other avenues, if any, could the author have used to express his beliefs? Would those avenues have been as effective as the story? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 865 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample