View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Other than Ptahor, whom does Sinuhe's father ask to dinner?
(a) Thothmes.
(b) Kaptah.
(c) The pharaoh.
(d) Oneh.

2. Where does Sinuhe bury his parents?
(a) In the desert.
(b) Near the entrance of a royal tomb.
(c) Near the temple of Ammon.
(d) In a pauper's cemetary.

3. What talent does Thothmes have?
(a) He can draw and sculpt.
(b) He can sing.
(c) He can read.
(d) He writes music.

4. What does the Syrian merchant bring Nefernefernefer?
(a) A jewel from the royal tomb.
(b) A crown of gold.
(c) A necklace of pearls.
(d) Earrings for Syria.

5. How long has Sinuhe been in exile at the beginning of the novel?
(a) Three months.
(b) Three years.
(c) 15 years.
(d) 2,000 years.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Sinuhe do with his gold before he travels on a ship to Smyrna?

2. When the god Ammon statue talks to Sinuhe, whose voice does Sinuhe hear?

3. How is status determined in the land of the Hittites?

4. How is life different for a physician in Syria compared to Egypt?

5. What is significant about the slave that Sinuhe buys?

Short Essay Questions

1. What message do Sinuhe's parents leave behind for him? How does this make him feel? How do his parents die? Why do they do this?

2. What is the scarab to Kaptah? What is the scarab to Sinuhe? How do the two belief systems differ? How does Kaptah anoint the scarab?

3. Why does Sinuhe continue to give Nefernefernefer all he possesses? Why can he not pull himself away from her? What is her appeal to Sinuhe? What is his behavior a metaphor for?

4. Why do Kipa and Senmut tell their neighbors that Kipa gave birth to Sinuhe? Why does Senmut register Sinuhe in the book of births? What will this do for Sinuhe later in life? What difference will this make in his life?

5. When Sinuhe opens a skull and finds that the "disease had laid its egg" what does he mean by that? What is the egg inside the man's head? What does Sinuhe do with it? How does he repair the opening? What is significant about the fact that the man falls from a wall three days later and breaks his neck and dies? What is that supposed to symbolize?

6. Explain the process that Sinuhe is taught in school about life after death. Who is Osiris? Who is the Devourer? What does the Devourer look like? Who is the Backward-Gazer? Why is this important knowledge for the average Egyptian?

7. What is Ptahor's job? Is this a cure for any disease or is this a quick way to die? Why do you think Ptahor is called to the pharaoh?

8. When Ptahor is opening the skull of the pharaoh, the young prince steps forward and speaks of a blessing from the god Aton. How does Ptahor react to this? Why does he react as he does?

9. When Minea, Kaptah and Sinuhe are traveling pretending to be performers, Sinuhe continues to cure the sick. Why does he do this? Cannot this lead to discovery of who they are? Is this dangerous? Why would he do this and put all their lives in danger?

10. Explain how embalming works int he House of Death. What do the priest tell people who bring their loved ones for preparation for burial? What do they actually do? How does Sinuhe view this?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,418 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample