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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 happens to Theseus after the bull dance?

2. Who tells Theseus that the gods favor him?

3. How many months will the bull dancers have to train?

4. How do the people of Crete treat Theseus and his kinsmen when they arrive?

5. Why do the people of Crete come to watch the bull dancers train?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe an incident in Crete where Theseus shows compassion.

2. Describe what Theseus and the cranes do to cause a scene when they arrive at Crete.

3. Explain the relationship between Theseus and Ariadne.

4. Evaluate Theseus' feelings after taking the king's life.

5. Recall how the dancers obtain their bull.

6. Recall what Theseus learns about bull dancing while traveling to Crete.

7. Explain why Theseus is chosen to be the leader of the cranes.

8. Describe the relationship between Ariadne and Asterion, concentrating on how their mother treated them.

9. Explain what the old woman in Aigeus' kingdom says to Theseus.

10. Describe the House of the Axe and how Theseus feels about being there.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are four different societies depicted in The King Must Die: Troizen, Eleusis, Athens, and Crete. Choose two to compare and contrast in an essay. What deities do the people worship? What rituals do they perform? How does Theseus feel about each society? Which society would you choose to be a member of if you lived in that era?

Essay Topic 2

Theseus' great leadership brings loyalty from his men. There are many different examples of leaders commanding respect and using power throughout the novel. Explain how being a great leader can bring loyalty, citing examples from the text. Theseus and Asterion are both leaders. Compare the different ways they command respect using examples.

Essay Topic 3

The gods are an essential component in The King Must Die in great and small ways.

Part 1) What are some examples from the text that show Theseus' devotion to his deity? How do his beliefs differ from the other characters?

Part 2) How can straying away from the gods be seen as forgetting what is important in life? What do the gods represent to the people (like in Eleusis and Troizen)?

Part 3) Crete is destroyed by an earthquake. Can this be seen as the god's wrath against a city that doesn't believe anymore? Is Theseus successful in life because of his strong beliefs?

(see the answer keys)

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