View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. During what years did Mawi's family remain living in the refugee camp in "The Camp"?

2. What was the name of Mawi's half-sister who joined his family in immigrating to America?

3. When they were still in elementary school, Mawi's brother told him stories about five brothers from where?

4. What does the author describe his father having a fear of and the destructive power behind them in "A New Life"?

5. Mawi's family was first cleared to go to the United States in what year?

Short Essay Questions

1. What deferred Mawi's family from leaving for America in 1982 in "Coming to America"?

2. Where did Mawi's family live as refugees in "The Camp"? Where did his father work?

3. How does Mawi describe his interactions with bullies in "The Camp"? Who came to his aid when he was attacked?

4. What did the strangers from Mawi's homeland bring to his family in "A New Life"? How did they help his mother?

5. How does the author describe the educational system and his interaction with other children in "The Camp"?

6. What did Mawi's family learn about American culture through television in "A New Life"? What else did they do for entertainment?

7. How does Mawi describe his memories of his family as refugees in "The Camp"?

8. What stories does the author say his brother told him in "Playground Warfare"? What did he later realize about these stories?

9. Where did Mawi's family stay upon their arrival in the U.S. in "A New Life"? Who met and helped them at the airport?

10. What memories does the author describe of his childhood home in "Memories"? What does he question about the memories?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Identify and analyze the theme of bullying in the narrative. In what ways were Mawi and his siblings picked on by the other students in America? Why? Where previously had Mawi and his siblings dealt with bullies? What was different about their interactions with them in America?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the correlations between American and East African culture and holidays and Mawi's first impressions of Halloween. What Sudanese holiday does the author describe in "Days of Mischief"? What about Halloween attracted him and his siblings?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the settings of Adi Wahla, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Where did Mawi's family first encounter refugees in Sudan? What were the conditions like there? Also discuss the journey of Mawi's family across the desert to arrive in Sudan. What dangers did the family face?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 951 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample