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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 does the Ancient warn the boys to do?

2. Where is the first place Gebu goes the first time Ranofer follows him?

3. What does Ranofer try to do on his lunch break?

4. What does the queen give Ranofer besides his request?

5. What does Ranofer realize about Gebu's possessions?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens in the night when Ranofer decides to follow Gebu?

2. How does Ranofer know whose tomb he is in and how does he alert Gebu about his presence?

3. What kind of people does Ranofer now have in his life and why might a reader be happy about it?

4. Who pulls Ranofer aside after he speaks with the queen? What does he ask and what does Ranofer tell him?

5. What has Ranofer become interested in the shop, what does he ask Gebu and what is Gebu's response?

6. Why do you think Ranofer believes Gebu is stealing again?

7. What do the three friends decide to do at the tombs after Ranofer meets with them?

8. What does Ranofer see Gebu bring into the scroll room and what is the result of that?

9. What does Ranofer decide after hearing of the confrontation between Gebu and Setma? What is the outcome of his action?

10. What does Ranofer know because of following Gebu and how does he end up in the tunnel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Gebu forces Ranofer to quit Rekh's shop and go to work in his stone-cutter shop as an apprentice. Ranofer reports to the stone-cutter shop where he begins by putting cutting sand in holes another worker is drilling. The work is boring and uses muscles that Ranofer has never had to use before. By the end of the day, Ranofer is very tired, but too sore to sleep.

1. Why do you think Gebu decided to make Ranofer work in his shop? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. Why do you think the job seems boring to Ranofer? Would that job be boring to anyone? What could Ranofer do, in your opinion, to make the job less boring?

3. Discuss why Ranofer, even being young and in shape might be sore from doing a different type of job. Include in your discussion whether you believe Ranofer's state of mind could aggravate the way that his body feels.

Essay Topic 2

Ranofer is working as a porter in Rekh, the goldsmith's shop. Ranofer would rather be an apprentice but his half-brother, Gebu, will not pay the required fees. In fact, Ranofer is forced to hand over all his pay to Gebu.

1. Why do you think Gebu will not pay Ranofer's apprentice fee, besides the obvious that he will not part with the money? Explain what other reasons he could have. Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. What would you do if you were in Ranofer's position in the above sentence? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your answer.

3. Discuss what the above sentence illustrates about Gebu's and Ranofer's relationship. Use examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Ranofer and Heqet argue when Heqet tries to get Ranofer to take some of his food. They are joined by the Ancient, who convinces Ranofer that taking Heqet's food would be doing him a favor. The boys then share their stories with the Ancient and include him in their growing circle of friendship.

1. Why do you think Ranofer argues with Heqet? Why do you think Heqet is insisting on his actions? Use examples from the book to support your answer.

2. Why do you think the Ancient believes Ranofer is doing Heqet a favor by taking some of his food?

3. What do you think, given the era in which this novel takes place, is meant by sharing stories? How important do you think sharing stories might be in a more primative era?

(see the answer keys)

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