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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. Why does the king ask Theseus to take his life?

2. Why did someone give the bull medicine to make him mad?

3. How did Theseus ruin the symbol by retrieving the item?

4. Why does Theseus' lover begin to cry?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain why Theseus' bull, Herakles, was acting funny.

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

3. Explain why Asterion might have a grievance against Theseus.

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

5. Describe King Minos and what he tells Theseus in their first meeting.

6. Explain what Theseus learns about the customs and prophesies of the Creates.

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

8. Explain what happens to make Theseus force the cranes to renew their vows to each other.

9. Explain the relationship between Theseus and Ariadne.

10. Describe what Theseus does when the men from Crete come for their tribute and why.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The connection between Theseus and Poseidon is essential to the plot of the book, because Poseidon affects Theseus' entire life. Describe the connection between Poseidon and Theseus, and cite examples from the book. Describe attributes that Theseus has gained from his connection to Poseidon. Explain how Poseidon has affected Theseus' life, and cite several examples from the book.

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Theseus' character travels through many areas of ancient Greece, from Troizen to Eleusis to Athens to Crete. The setting of The King Must Die is very important to the story.

Part 1) Define setting, describing the different settings throughout the text.

Part 2) Explain how important the setting is to the plot of the story.

Part 3) Compare the setting of this novel to another novel. Was the setting simple or complex?

(see the answer keys)

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