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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 is outside of the sitting room ready to assist Amelia with Alberto?

2. What does Amelia see while taking tea and visiting the place where Caesar died?

3. What interrupts the evening for Amelia and Evelyn and sends them back to their rooms?

4. What does Amelia admit to Evelyn when Evelyn awakens her in the middle of the night?

5. Why does Abdullah think the men have stopped singing while they work?

Short Essay Questions

1. While in Beni Hassan, what does Amelia come to understand about Radcliffe Emerson's tirade on the antiquities of Egypt? How does this affect her?

2. What is the pavement of Khuenaten? What roles do Amelia and Evelyn play in preserving the pavement? What importance does this pavement have in the development of the story?

3. What do the group discuss at dinner the first night Radcliffe is able to join them on the balcony for the meal? What is the mood during dinner?

4. What does Lucas tell Evelyn that her grandfather had done with all of her possessions? How does she react to this story? How does Amelia react?

5. Why do Radcliffe, Amelia, Evelyn and Walter visit the village of Haggi Qandil? Who do they want to speak to, and what do they hope to accomplish?

6. Why does Radcliffe react so strongly to Amelia and Evelyn's work with the pavement? Is his reaction in character with his personality?

7. When Amelia takes Evelyn shopping, what does she learn about Evelyn? What does she learn about herself? Why is this important to Amelia?

8. Why have the workmen left the dig site? What do we learn about the beliefs of the natives of the area?

9. In the morning after their dinner on the balcony, Walter arrives at their lodgings with news. What is he excited about? Why is the news important?

10. What excursion do Amelia and Evelyn take from Cairo? How does Amelia react to Egypt? While on this short trip, what adventure does Amelia have that Evelyn does not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses devices such as verbal irony and sarcasm as character traits for some of the main characters. Which character stands out as one who speaks often with irony and sarcasm to get the point across? Provide examples of verbal irony and sarcasm and explain how they are important for that character.

Essay Topic 2

The setting of the novel is Egypt. How does the author create the mood of the novel using the setting? Could this story have taken place anywhere else and still have been realistic? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Amelia describes herself to Evelyn and says "I have a temper like a fiend's, and the disposition of a balky mule." Do you agree with Amelia's assessment of herself? If so, why? If not, how would you describe her, and why?

(see the answer keys)

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