View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why is Theseus proclaimed the leader of the bull dancers in Crete?

2. What is one place that Theseus finds useful on his way to meet his lover?

3. What is the name of the palace where the bull dancers will be training?

4. What is the life expectancy of a bull dancer?

5. During the bull dance, where do Theseus and another of the dancers get caught?

Short Essay Questions

1. Evaluate how much Theseus has grown as a leader in Crete.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10. Recall how the dancers obtain their bull.

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

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 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)

This section contains 1,251 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample