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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Out of the thirteen barons, how many are killed in this first battle with Tanus?
(a) Nine.
(b) Three.
(c) Four.
(d) Eleven.

2. Why did Tanus's father die an unhappy death?
(a) His wife had died several years earlier.
(b) He was destitute and out of favor with Pharaoh.
(c) He was assassinated.
(d) He had only one son and eight daughters.

3. Who is the first Shrike willing to help Tanus in exchange for keeping his life?
(a) Hui.
(b) Basti.
(c) Gebel-Umm-Bahari.
(d) Khargi.

4. What is Pharaoh's primary concern for the future of his kingdom?
(a) That he has no male heir.
(b) That the kingdom is disintegrating from within.
(c) That he has no worthy male heir.
(d) That the kingdom is attacked by foreign armies.

5. How do Egyptians treat their women in comparison to surrounding nations?
(a) They idolize their women.
(b) They are the most merciful.
(c) They are the cruelest.
(d) They largely ignore their women.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why does Nembet, the Great Lion of Egypt, become angry with Tanus?

2. Why does Taita implicitly trust Aton, the royal chamberlain?

3. Tanus is nicknamed Akh-Horus. What does this name mean?

4. How does Tanus get back into shape after his weeks of drinking and laziness?

5. Why did Lord Intef engineer the downfall of Lord Harrab, Tanus's father?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

2. 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?

3. After Taita is whipped because he dares to petition for Lostris and Tanus's marriage, Lostris cares for his wounds. How does she reveal that she is still a child? What hope does the reader have that her marriage to Tanus will occur?

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. 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?

7. How does Lostris interact with Pharaoh during their first three months of marriage? Though Smith does not say this is so many words, how does Pharaoh reveal his true character during this time?

8. Why is Lord Intef delighted to arrange the marriage between Lostris and Pharaoh? What plans does he reveal to Taita? How does even this brief interaction show Taita's unstable position in the court?

9. What are Taita's first descriptions of Lostris? How are his emotions different from what the reader might expect of a eunuch? How does it help explain his character?

10. What scheme does Taita dream up to help Tanus engage the Shrikes in battle for the first time? How is this scheme something that perhaps only Taita would think of?

(see the answer keys)

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