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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. What makes Ibrahim nervous about the hotel the driver of the Mercedes takes him on Christmas?

2. Why does the British foreign secretary order a blockade of Palestine?

3. How old is Ishmael when he makes a deal with his brother concerning parcels of land?

4. Why is Tabah considered an enemy village to Gideon?

5. Why does Heuseinni have to move around the Middle East so much?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Ibrahim and Gideon discuss when they meet in Part 2, Chapter 7?

2. What happens when Ibrahim refuses to give money or men to the Mufti and the Arab Higher Committee?

3. What have groups of Arab leaders begun doing since the mention of a partition of Palestine?

4. What is Operation Nachshon?

5. What surprises the Arabs when they attack the Jews for the first time?

6. How does Ibrahim's father pass on power before he dies?

7. What happens after an Arab attacked a woman in a kibbutz in 1925?

8. What happens when Ibrahim goes to the bank to withdraw money to pay for the boat he needs to go to Gaza?

9. What happens when Mercedes arrives in Tabah on Christmas day?

10. How do the Mufti increase Arab violence toward Jews?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ishmael had a complicated relationship with his father. Analyze the ways that these characters interacted with each other. What did the relationship mean to each party? What is significant about the way their relationship ended?

Essay Topic 2

For much of this novel, Ibrahim is determined to return to Tabah. Discuss what the return to Tabah represents to Ibrahim and his village. Why was the dream abandoned?

Essay Topic 3

Explain how Gideon is an unsung hero of this novel. In what ways is Gideon's role given full credit? In what ways is he overlooked? Why was this done?

(see the answer keys)

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