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. When he is a boy, why does Shaka think he will one day be the Zulu chief?

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

3. Why does Prince Henry of Portugal want his ships to sail around Africa's cape?

4. What Englishman documents Shaka's later years?

5. To what prosperous trade center does Malacca open access?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Daniel Nxumalo arrested?

2. Describe how Nxumalo fares in the city of Zimbabwe.

3. Why is Prince Henry of Portugal determined to sail around the cape of Africa in 1453?

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

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

6. What factors almost bring about the destruction of the Xhosa tribe in 1857 and how does Richard Saltwood save the tribe from starving?

7. What is Philip Saltwood hired to do and where does he eventually find what he is seeking?

8. Why are white miners starving in Chapter Twelve?

9. How do Frank and Maud Saltwood assist Dutch prisoners in Chapter Ten?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Select at least three chapters from The Covenant. Discuss how the titles of the chapters relate to the plots, themes, and characters in each chapter. Do any of the titles seem to have more than one possible meaning? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

Trace the relationship of the Van Doorn, Nxumalo, and Saltwood families through the novel. How do the relationships of the families over the years reflect the relationships of the Dutch, the native African tribes, and the English in South Africa? Are the three families friends at the end of the novel? Why or why not? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,007 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample