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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 name of Zouga's eldest son?

2. Who pulls up the huge champagne-colored diamond on the third day of the digging frenzy?

3. Who congratulates the nameless man on a "job well done"?

4. When Mungo returns to the United States and leads his own ragtag cavalry during the Civil War, what nickname does he earn?

5. What spooks the horse that causes the horse to bolt, ultimately killing the horse's rider?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do the Matabele typically keep their treasures buried under the floor in their huts?

2. At Jordan's luncheon, who offends Zouga simply by being there, and why is Zouga offended?

3. As Zouga approaches the location where he is meeting the nameless man, Zouga feels fear. Why does Zouga enjoy feeling fear?

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

5. Giving up the statue was especially painful for Jordan. What does Jordan equate the statue with?

6. Why does Ralph leave school?

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

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

9. 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?

10. As Zouga prepares to keep the rendezvous with the nameless man, Zouga only has his claims left to sell. Why is Zouga unwilling to sell his claims?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Ralph and Jordan Ballantyne.

a. How are the two characters similar in terms of their professional lives? How are they different?

b. How are the two characters similar in their personality characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses? How are they different?

c. Looking forward, how might the fight between Ralph and Zouga have impacted Jordan long-term more so than impacting Ralph? Did the fight affect both of these men as they moved forward with their lives? Were the men similarly affected or not? Explain your answers and your reasoning.

Essay Topic 2

Describe how the character of Zouga Ballantyne changes as the story progresses. Be sure to include your assessment of Zouga's character when he is first introduced in the story, when buries his wife, when he loses his diamond claims in a bet, when he leads soldiers against Lobengula, and when he and Louise begin to build their house. Use examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Prophesies play a large role in the story - as they are a motivating force behind the actions of a number of characters. Identify at least three prophesies that are discussed in the story, the circumstances surrounding each prophesy, and how the fulfillment of these prophesies affect the story's characters and plot.

(see the answer keys)

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