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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 is the main message of the hymn written by Ikem?

2. What happens to Ikem on his way to the Palace in Chapter 3?

3. What have the Abazonians heard about Ikem?

4. In the hymn composed by Ikem, who is found dead in the marketplace?

5. At the beginning of Chapter 6, who invites Beatrice to a private dinner?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the story of the leopard and the tortoise. Why does the Abazon elder tell this story?

2. Describe the relationship between the President and his ministers of government, as revealed in Chapter 1.

3. Why do the Abazon leaders fail to support the President's bid to become dictator-for-life, and what does the President do in response to their lack of support?

4. Why must Chris leave the city?

5. Describe Professor Okong.

6. Explain what happens in the parking lot after Ikem meets with the Abazon delegation. What does this incident seem to foreshadow?

7. Who calls Beatrice with an anonymous tip about Chris, and what is the apparent purpose of the calls?

8. Who are the demonstrators outside the Palace, and what do they want?

9. What does Ikem urge the students to do?

10. Describe the confrontation between Ikem and the taxi driver in Chapter 3. What does it reveal about Ikem's character?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Anthills of the Savannah describes a country under the rule of an increasingly tyrannical dictator. Describe the various ways in which the dictator exerts control over his Cabinet and over the people.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of hope for Africa's future expressed in the novel Anthills of the Savannah.

1) What is the significance of the name of Elewa's baby?

2) How is it significant that the baby was named by a group of people from different backgrounds, classes, and faiths--military, worker, academic, market-girl, Muslim, Christian, etc.?

Essay Topic 3

A theme in the novel is the conflict between modern and traditional African cultures. Explore this conflict or dichotomy, considering the following questions:

1) How is modern culture contrasted with the traditional one in Chapter 3 as we go from a scene in traffic to a very mythical story of "Hymn to the Sun"?

2) Beatrice does not know much about traditional culture and is ignorant of myths such as the rather feminist story of Idemili. Why is this a bad thing?

3) What wisdom is possessed by the Abazon elders and how is this contrasted with the wisdom, or lack thereof, in the university group Ikem speaks to?

4) In what sense does Beatrice seem to have two people inside her--the prophetess and the modern, educated woman?

5) How do traditional and modern clash in the baby-naming ceremony in Chapter 18, and how is the conflict resolved?

(see the answer keys)

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