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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. How old is Camara in his earliest memories?

2. What does Camara's mother forbid the men to do to the animal that she has to bring to its feet?

3. How does Camara feel the night after he hears the story about the special snake?

4. After the animal encounter in the forge, what does Camara like to yell to his mother?

5. One day, some men come and ask Camara's mother to get a certain animal back on its feet. What kind of animal?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Camara is a child, what are the sleeping arrangements for his family in Kouroussa?

2. How does Camara help out in the rice fields during the harvest?

3. What is Camara thinking while he is in the rice fields with all the reapers?

4. After the snake encounter, Camara finds it amusing to yell to his mother, "There's a snake!" How does his mother react when he yells like this?

5. According to Camara, what do many people think about country people, and what is Camara's opinion about them?

6. Describe the character of Camara's father.

7. How is the special black snake involved with Camara's father's gold work?

8. Describe the character of Lansana.

9. How did Camara's father know about this specific task of gold work, and how did he prepare himself to execute the work?

10. One day, Camara finds a little black snake with a strikingly marked body. What is special about this snake?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Chapter 2 of "The Dark Child" talks mainly about the gold work Camara's father performs. This gold work creates positive and negative reactions throughout the chapter. Compare/contrast the reactions of the chapter's characters in relation to the significance of the gold work. Use supporting evidence to discuss the different emotions towards the gold/gold work.

Essay Topic 2

After the gold work of Camara's father is finished, the praise-singer bursts into a douga. Describe in your own words, based on the context of the book, what a douga is. What is its influence on the people of Camara's community? Why is it sung? How do the characters react to it? What is its negative side effect? Why is it important in the African culture?

Essay Topic 3

When Camara is a child at school, some incidents occur that finally lead to the resignation of the director. This whole episode proves the great influence Camara's father has in his community. Explore the connection between the resignation of the director and the role of Camara's father plays. Explain how the violence at school starts innocently, then reaches a height and finally stops all together. What was Camara's father's involvement? Support your answers with examples from the book.

(see the answer keys)

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