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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. Whose pictures does Fariba hold up as the last Soviet convoys exit the city in Chapter 22?

2. What does Hakim dream of living near in the novel?

3. What does the word "hamam" translate to in English?

4. Where does Hasina say her husband will be moving them after their marriage in Chapter 23?

5. What does the term "jo" or "jon" as used in addressing someone translate to in English?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Fariba's (Laila's mother's) daily behavior described in Chapter 17?

2. When does Chapter 24 take place? What are the circumstances around Laila's family at this time?

3. What does Hakim reveal to Laila when they are alone at the top of the statues in Chapter 21?

4. How has Mariam's relationship with Rasheed evolved in Chapter 14? What has led to these changes?

5. How does the Afghanistan war against the Russians factor directly into Laila's storyline in Chapter 17?

6. What are Mariam's perceptions of Kabul during Ramadan in Chapter 12?

7. What loss does Mariam suffer in Chapter 13? How does this loss affect her?

8. What leads to the change in Fariba's behavior in Chapter 23? How does her behavior change?

9. How has Mariam adjusted to married life by the beginning of Chapter 11?

10. How would you describe Mariam's relationship with each of her parents in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the setting of Kabul, Afghanistan, in the 1960s-1970s. How many people live in the capital? How divided is the wealth distribution in the city? How many citizens of Kabul were Muslim at this time? What other religions and cultures coexisted? How does this setting differ from Herat for Mariam?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the characters of Nana, Jalil, and Mullah Faizullah in the narrative. How do Nana and Jalil differ in their outlooks on life? How do they differ in their behavior? What does Mullah Faizullah represent to Mariam? What role does this character have in the community?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the themes of hope, history, and love in A Thousand Splendid Suns. What symbolism supports these themes in the narrative? How does the novel’s title connect to these themes? How do these themes relate to one another?

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