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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. Who wants the king of Crete to die and is the one who is believed to have infected him?

2. Who does the queen sleep with that angers the king?

3. What does Theseus and his kinsmen practice on the ship?

4. Who is going to send a message to Theseus' father, asking for help in stopping the son of the king of Crete?

5. Where does Theseus go after killing the king?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. Recall how the dancers obtain their bull.

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

5. Define the relationship between Theseus and the cranes.

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

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

8. Describe bull dancing, concentrating on the different roles of each dancer.

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

King Minos is the ruler of Crete, Theseus is also a leader and ruler of many people.

Part 1) Compare and contrast the characters of Minos and Theseus. How are they similar and how are they different as rulers?

Part 2) Explain why Minos' character is important to the story. How does he affect Theseus?

Part 3) Besides Theseus, what ruler from the story do you like the most and why (Aigeus, Pittheus, Persephone, Asterion, Minos)?

Essay Topic 2

Rituals are prominent throughout The King Must Die. They are an indicator of the differences and similarities between the cultures. Compare and contrast the different rituals throughout the book. How are they the same? How are they different? How does Theseus feel about the different rituals he encounters throughout his travels? Include several examples from the book. Compare and contrast the rituals in the book to rituals that we have in society today.

Essay Topic 3

Theseus is a good and fair leader, and he believes in justice. Justice is an important theme throughout The King Must Die.

Part 1) Explain the meaning of justice.

Part 2) Describe some examples of justice from the book. What does justice mean to Theseus?

Part 3) Compare an example of justice from the book to a moment in your own life. Do you believe as Theseus does?

(see the answer keys)

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