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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. Why does Prince Henry of Portugal want to find the city of Ophir?

2. What does Nxumalo tell the Old Seeker his people traded for the "heavy earth"?

3. How does Naoka's first husband die?

4. Who inspires Hilary Saltwood to become a missionary?

5. What is the name of Captain Nicholas Saltwood's ship in Chapter Three?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Adriaan and Seena Van Doorn's work with Dr. Nils Linnart from Sweden.

2. How does Simon Kerr influence Hilary Saltwood's desire to be a missionary and his life in Africa once he becomes a missionary?

3. Who are the Venloo Commandos, and how do they fare in their skirmishes with the English?

4. What does Mfecane mean, and how does Mzilikazi contribute to the period of Mfecane?

5. How does Paulus De Groot influence Detlev Van Doorn's education?

6. What is the significance of Zimbabwe's origins to Cecil Rhodes' arguments for English rule of South Africa?

7. How does Richard Saltwood earn the nickname Cupid?

8. Explain why the Dutch want to gain control of the Portuguese fort at Malacca in Chapter Three, and what factor leads to their success in doing so.

9. In Chapter Seven, what do Nxumalo and Shaka have in common even though they come from different tribes?

10. What role does rugby play in Detleef's life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What character flaws and strengths do you see in the Van Doorn family through the generations depicted in The Covenant? Select at least three characters from the Van Doorn family, each from a different generation, and discuss how their flaws and strengths help or hinder the characters in dealing with the conflicts in their relationships and in their historical eras. Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Show how the relationship of miners and the mining companies for which they work changes over the years in The Covenant. Do black miners get the same wages as white miners? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

What character flaws and strengths do you see in the Saltwood family through the generations depicted in The Covenant? Select at least three characters from the Saltwood family, each from a different generation, and discuss how their flaws and strengths help or hinder the characters in dealing with the conflicts in their relationships and in their historical eras. Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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