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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. At what time did Elspeth's lessons begin in Chapter 20?

2. What did the settlers hunt in Chapter 12?

3. What did the priests at the Italian mission plant?

4. Whom did Tilly contact about getting another dog for the Palmers?

5. What were Hereward and the Kikuyu hunting in Chapter 11?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did the adults try to comfort Elspeth when she could not go on the safari, and did it work?

2. Why was Lettice convinced that she brought disaster on her loved ones?

3. How did the Kikuyu deal with the suffering of animals?

4. Why did Robin agree with the Italian priests in their refusal to baptize or help Njombo?

5. What did the Kikuyu do to preserve memories of the dead?

6. How did the Palmer's house differ from the Huxley's residence?

7. Why did the Kikuyu distrust hyenas?

8. Why did the District Commissioner find it difficult to keep locals out of the prison?

9. How did Ian justify the brutality of the Abyssinian leaders he encountered before coming to Africa?

10. What did Tilly think was the ultimate reason for the Europeans to be in Africa?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Settler Alec Wilson was determined to learn everything about farming in Africa through textbooks and governmental reports. Elspeth, on the other hand, was for the most part avoiding book learning and creating her own African education through activities and exploration. Write an essay comparing and contrasting these styles of "education." Are there certain subjects that can best be learned through books? Are there others that can best be tackled through actually doing them? In what ways did Wilson's approach illustrate a European approach to education and in what ways did Elspeth's education reflect that of the African children, who did not attend schools? Would book-learning help Wilson in Africa and would hands-on learning help Elspeth once she went back to England?

Essay Topic 2

Elspeth Huxley at one point said that the natives never stole from one another, but did not seem to have any qualms about stealing from the Europeans. Why was this the case? What forces prompted the natives to avoid stealing from one another? How did they seem to view the Europeans and why would they be willing to steal from them? Did they view the Europeans as neighbors and fellow villagers or as something else entirely?

Essay Topic 3

Pioneer Mary was known as a wild woman who in many ways behaved more like a man in Africa. She was both feared and respected by both Europeans and Africans. How was her personality shaped by her personal family tragedy (the loss of both her husband and two young children)? In what ways did her personality allow her to survive and thrive in an environment that could be hostile to a European, especially a woman in that day and age? Did her wildness contribute to her ability to thrive? How did she differ from most of the women around her? Was she happier than the others?

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