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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 material helped the Earth in its plan to take over the Obelisk Gate?

2. Who can understand the language first spoken by the vehimal that Nassun and Schaffa take to Corepoint?

3. What happens to Nassun that forces Essun to submit during their conflict at Corepoint?

4. What does Nassun see fused with the Earth's core?

5. What is the food situation when Castrima first arrives in Rennanis?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Essun use to control the Obelisk Gate in opposition to Nassun?

2. While Nassun is distracted, what does Schaffa do in the chamber where the Guardians are kept?

3. Why is Schaffa narrating the story to Essun?

4. How are Kelenli and Gallat related?

5. What did the Earth intend to do during the activation of the Plutonic Engine?

6. What hardships happen to the people of Castrima as they travel through the desert?

7. What people are living in Corepoint when Nassun arrives?

8. Where did the tuners go on their trip to Site Zero?

9. What did the tuners see when they visit the amethyst obelisk’s socket?

10. How does Nassun react when Essun is transformed by the power of the Obelisk Gate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The tuners ultimately decide to end sylanagistine civilization in response to the atrocity of the briar patch. Argue whether this is a justifiable response, using citations from the text and your own reasoning. On what basis should we evaluate the tuners’ behavior? How responsible are they for the unforeseen effects of their plan?

Essay Topic 2

Chapter 1 concludes with an interview between an old woman and an unnamed scribe. Write an essay explaining the importance of the interviewee’s statement to the themes and events of the novel. What ‘cycle’ is the old woman talking about? Which of the protagonists best exemplifies her approach?

Essay Topic 3

Dynamic characters are characters whose personalities, attitudes or behaviors change over the course of a work of fiction. Choose one character from the novel and explain why they are a dynamic character. In your explanation, analyze the changes that they undergo over the course of their character arc and what these changes signify about the novel’s themes.

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This section contains 600 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample