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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. With what song would bullies serenade Mehret?

2. What is a literary device in which an author indistinctly suggests certain plot developments that might come later in the story?

3. After reuniting with his father, Mawi and his family found safety at a refugee camp in ___________.

4. When a bully came after Mawi and pressed them into a fence, who came to his aid?

5. When Mawi's brother was about to be attacked by a bully with a switchblade in "Playground Warfare," a van appeared carrying how many large black men?

Short Essay Questions

1. What deferred Mawi's family from leaving for America in 1982 in "Coming to America"?

2. Who led the author's family across the desert in "Memories"? How is she described?

3. What woman helped Mawi's family find a sponsor in "A New Life"? How did the family adjust to the culture shock of the new country?

4. What symbolism is employed in describing Mawi's younger brother's birth in "A New Life"?

5. What memories does the author describe of his childhood home in "Memories"? What does he question about the memories?

6. How does the author describe his origins in the Author's Note? What is the political history of this region?

7. What did Mawi's family learn about American culture through television in "A New Life"? What else did they do for entertainment?

8. What stories does the author say his brother told him in "Playground Warfare"? What did he later realize about these stories?

9. How did the children in Mawi's new home perceive his family, as described in "Playground Warfare"? How did they treat them?

10. What did the strangers from Mawi's homeland bring to his family in "A New Life"? How did they help his mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the impact of Tewolde's death on the narrator. How was Tewolde killed? What foreshadowing refers to this incident early in the narrative? How does Mawi describe the aftermath of the accident? How was Tewolde remembered at his funeral?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the political atmosphere of Sudan in the early 1980s. How many rebel groups were there, and what were their objectives? Also discuss Haileab's vision of America. How correct were Haileab's perceptions of the United States? Who warned him against immigrating?

Essay Topic 3

Identify and discuss the theme of generosity in the narrative. How did Haileab demonstrate generosity toward others? How did his actions influence those of his children? How does Tewolde symbolize generosity in the book? What influence did he have on the author?

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