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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. Where do Sundiata's relatives travel for advise at the opening of the story?

2. From which direction does the hunter promise a "great light" will come from?

3. What physical deformity does the hunter tell the king his future wife should have?

4. To which family member is young Djata most attached?

5. Which of the following types of poems is the genre which "Sundiata" belongs to?

Short Essay Questions

1. What demands does Kanty make of the African nations, and what is Dankaran's response?

2. Who were the early kings of Mali?

3. How did Sundiata come to inherit the land of Mema?

4. What happens when Sundiata outwits Konkon, the king of Djedeba?

5. How does Djata learn to walk?

6. What happens when the warriors meet a starving, old woman in Do?

7. What happens when Mali wages war against Kanty?

8. How does Sundiata collect the army that fights with him in Tabon?

9. How well did Sundiata's ancestors know the land they were raised in, and how can you tell?

10. Who is Soumaoro Kanty?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are many men who pass through power in Mali. Create a list of kings that took power on the pages of Sundiata, and briefly explain how each of these kings affected the relationship Malian people had with their government.

Essay Topic 2

When Sundiata was born, he was given two formal names and one very important nickname. Briefly explain where each of Sundiata's three names came from, and what part of his personality each name represented. Finally, explain whether or not you think Sundiata's name were a good fit for him, and why.

Essay Topic 3

Sundiata had two main women in his life to act as mothers to him - Sogolon and Sassouma. Briefly describe each of these women, and then compare / contrast their mothering techniques with young Sundiata. Then, explain what effect each of these women had on Sundiata as he matured into adulthood.

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