View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why is Taita nervous about the pageant at the end of the festival?
(a) Lostris has not learned her lines properly.
(b) He must direct the play.
(c) He is playing the main role of Horus.
(d) He wrote a new script to replace the thousand-year-old version.

2. Why is Tanus's speech a surprise to his whole audience, especially Taita?
(a) He praises his own god rather than Pharaoh's chosen god.
(b) He does not mention any modern problems or solutions.
(c) He boldly names all the problems rampaging through Egypt.
(d) He repeatedly blames Pharaoh for the nation's problems.

3. Why did Lord Intef engineer the downfall of Lord Harrab, Tanus's father?
(a) Lord Harrab was corrupt in his land dealings with Lord Intef.
(b) Lord Harrab had cheated Lord Intef out of several thousand gold rings.
(c) Lord Intef was jealous of Lord Harrab's virtue, popularity, and wealth.
(d) Pharaoh had promised great riches to Lord Harrab.

4. Why does Lostris want to drink poison on her wedding night?
(a) So she can die and wait for Tanus on the other side.
(b) So she can die and stop existing.
(c) So she can become sick and delay going to Pharaoh's bed.
(d) To become ill so Pharaoh will pay more attention to her.

5. What color does Lostris wear to prove she is a virgin bride?
(a) Gold like the sun.
(b) Blue like water lilies.
(c) White like a pure heart.
(d) Red like fine wine.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is the first Shrike willing to help Tanus in exchange for keeping his life?

2. Why did Tanus name his bow Lanata?

3. Why was Taita made a eunuch when he was sixteen?

4. What body parts are left inside a man when he is embalmed?

5. What change to the festival pageant does Taita protest?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Tanus's reaction to the news of Lostris's coming marriage? What does this reveal about his character? Is this an admirable reaction?

2. When the people cry out to Pharaoh to give Tanus mercy from the death sentence, what does Pharaoh do? What leads to this decision? Does it show Pharaoh's mercy or his weakness?

3. How does Taita describe the hippo hunt? How does he see the animal in relation to divinity? What is the effect of the hippo hunt on Taita?

4. When Taita disguises himself as a priest so that he is not recognized in his native city Thebes, how is he treated? What does this say about the Egyptian people's attitude toward their religion? What does this say about the priests' ethics?

5. What account does Taita give of the girl he loved when he was sixteen? How does his telling of it, half his lifetime later, show the changes he has gone through? Is he more cynical or more understanding of what happened?

6. What happens in the tombs during the three-day sandstorm? How does Taita reveal the deepest sadness that is in his heart? What does this say about his character?

7. How does Tanus show his devotion to his chosen god Horus? How do the people respond to this devotion? What does this say about the roles of the gods in the Egyptians' lives?

8. What is the immediate effect as Tanus begins to rout the Shrikes? How does this change affect people's loyalty to Pharaoh? What do you think might be the long-term effects of this new loyalty?

9. What is the song that Tanus and his men sing during the thick of battle? What effect would this song have on the enemy?

10. What power does Pharaoh's seal have? Why must a man acknowledge it, as Tanus does when Neter comes to arrest him? Is this seal a sign of power or of weakness?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,964 words (approx. 7 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample