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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 many unmarried daughters did Robin's Aunt Veronica have?

2. Where did Lettice sometimes talk of moving to?

3. What did Robin pretend to threaten to get Sammy to lift the curse?

4. What does the word "kali" mean?

5. What was the only common element in the different styles of traps built for leopards?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why were the villagers so concerned about the python near the village?

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

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

4. How did the Kikuyu and Masai differ in their approaches to hunting?

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

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

7. How did the other Europeans and the Kikuyu feel about the Italian priests at the mission?

8. Why did Lettice elope with Hereward?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Early in the book, Robin Huxley had a confrontation with the locals over the way he wanted his family's house built. Why was Robin so determined to recreate an English-style house in Africa? Why were the Africans so opposed to some of Robin's ideas? In what ways would adopting the local customs make it easier to settle in to a new area? Is it always advisable, or even possible, to recreate a certain lifestyle in a foreign land? What are the benefits of adopting the local traditions? Do you think Robin and the other Europeans were concerned about losing their European identity if they adopted too many local customs?

Essay Topic 2

Njombo was accused by Sammy of causing the death of his third wife and the maiming of his son. In response, Sammy places a curse on Njombo, which very nearly kills him. Write an essay explaining why a firm belief in the power of curses could actually lead to someone's death. Would Njombo had survived if the chief had not arranged for the curse to be lifted? How powerful is the human mind when it comes to health? Why were the Europeans determined to save Njombo by focusing on the curse rather than using Western medicine?

Essay Topic 3

Elspeth, despite her European heritage, sincerely believed that a charm would protect her duiker, Twinkle. In what ways did her belief illustrate how her upbringing was becoming essentially African? Why was she more open to the notion of protective charms than the adults around her? Was she doing a better job adapting to local traditions and belief-systems?

(see the answer keys)

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