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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. According to Mawi's father, angels often appeared in what form?

2. How old was Mawi when his mother took him and his siblings to become refugees in "Memories"?

3. What disease had Mawi's father contracted in "A New Life"?

4. Mawi's father took in a homeless man and helped him. What did the man give him in return when he departed in "God's Angels"?

5. The transition to America was particularly difficult for Mawi's mother who thought that, by culture, she was not supposed to do what?

Short Essay Questions

1. With whom did Mawi travel across the desert in "Memories"? Where were they going? How old was Mawi?

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

3. How does the author describe the Sudanese rebels in "The Camp"? Where did the author's father want to go in order to find security?

4. Who led the author's family across the desert in "Memories"? How is she described?

5. What example of foreshadowing does the author employ in "A New Life"? What did the family learn about American culture in this chapter?

6. What symbolism is employed in describing Mawi's younger brother's birth in "A New Life"?

7. How did the children in Mawi's new home perceive his family, as described in "Playground Warfare"? How did they treat them?

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

9. What did Mawi's father teach his children about strangers in "God's Angels"?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the correlations between food and culture. How is local cuisine relative to an individual's cultural identity? What did obtaining their native foods mean for Mawi's family? How does the relationship between food and culture differ within different communities and regions?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of sacrifice in the narrative, and examine the reasons for Haileab's sacrifice in leaving his homeland. What dangers did his family face in staying where they were? Why did Haileab leave behind his wealth and everything he owned? How many others faced the same perils in order to escape?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the political atmosphere of Sudan in the early 1980s. How many rebel groups were there, and what were their objectives? Also discuss Haileab's vision of America. How correct were Haileab's perceptions of the United States? Who warned him against immigrating?

(see the answer keys)

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