Name: _________________________________________________ What page # are you currently on? _____________
Chapter 9 Reading Quiz: pp 58– 68
1. The boys hear a strange thunderous sound; what does it turn out to be?
a. the waves
b. a boat
c. a machine
d. the war
2. What do the boys do at this place and time?
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. What do the local villagers do to the boys?
a. Beat and tie them; after serious questioning they release the boys unharmed.
b. Feed them and talk to them.
c. Take their shoes and chase the boys out of the village with machetes.
d. They do not make eye contact with them and they refuse to tell their names.
4. What happens in the next hut?
a. the men torture the boys
b. the boys are finally allowed to sleep
c. an old man treats their feet
d. the boys sneak inside and hide overnight
5. At this new place, what is the strange longing that the boys all have?
a. they want to know the names of the people
b. they wish that they could speak to girls who would understand them
c. they cry for their families, their friends, and their grandparents
d. they yearn for cooked pork even though they are vegetarian.
6. The tile of the book comes from this chapter. Explain the significance of the title in context with the events
that happen in Chapter 9:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. Name the artists that Ishmael alludes to in this chapter.
a. Slick Rick; TuPac Shakur
b. LL Cool J; Naughty by Nature
c. Snoop Dogg; West Side Connection
d. Ice Cube; Ice T; Vanilla Ice
Name: _________________________________________________ What page # are you currently on? _____________
Chapter 10 Reading Quiz: pp 69– 88
1. According to Ishmael, what is one of the most mentally, physically, and emotionally unsettling things about
Ishmael’s journey?
a. He has walked hundreds of miles with very little food or water.
b. He has no idea where his family is.
c. He has no idea when or where it will end.
d. He has lost his desire to live.
2. With whom is Ishmael now traveling?
a. Jumah, Moriba, Musa, Alhaji, Kanei, and Saidu
b. Talloi, Junior, Gabrilla, Kaloko, and Khalilou
c. Junior
d. No one; he is alone
3. Who is the speaker of this quote: “Every time people come at us with the intention of killing us, I close my eyes and
wait for death. Even though I am still alive, I feel like each time I accept death, part of me dies. Very soon I will
completely die and all that will be left is my empty body walking with you. It will be quieter than I am.”
a. Grandmother
b. Saidu
c. An old villager
d. Ishmael
4. Do the boys ever experience joy?
a. Yes, for example when they are singing.
b. No, the entire journey is painful.
5. What did Ishmael’s grandmother call him?
a. zadeei, or man child
b. sumba, or lion baby
c. karakeei, or monkey
d. careloi, or spider
6. Ishael experiences an evening that finally feels like real African culture—African culture before the war. What
happens? Describe as many details as you remember.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
7. The parable of Bra Spider serves to illustrate which literal and figurative truths?
a. the size of a spider; the reason it is evil
b. how spider got its shape; what it’s like to be pulled in many directions
c. the color of a spider; why it disliked
d. the purpose of a spider; no one sees it for what it is
8. Ishmael recalls an important life event involving the imam, or Islamic worship leader. What event does he share?
a. his naming ceremony
b. his best friend’s baptism
c. the day his brother is born
d. the day that he found God
9. What happens the next morning?
a. The village is looted; the boys continue traveling
b. Nothing; the boys decide to move forward just in case
c. The village is eerily quiet; there is smoke everywhere
d. They wake to find all of the smoked meat it gone; the boys blame each other.
10. What is notable about the barking dog?
a. He wakes up the entire village; he starts to attack people.
b. His bark sounds like an old African hymn that Ishmael had forgotten.
c. The boys contemplate whether or not they would be able to eat a dog.
d. The dog barks once and then dies.
11. What is Saidu’s backstory?
a. He escaped and left all of his family behind; he never looked back or thought of them until now.
b. When the rebels came, he hid in the attic. They looted the property and raped his sisters repeatedly.
c. He is a twin; he has not seen his brother since the rebel attacks.
d. He has watched Ishmael throughout his entire journey.
12. The boys get to the next village. A woman whose face is not familiar approaches the boys and exclaims:
a. that Junior had been to the village looking for Ishmael and the rest of his family was 2 villages away.
b. that the boys are not welcome; their group appears to be a large gang.
c. that the rebels are near; everyone should flee as quickly as possible.
d. crazy things that make sense to no one; it is evident she has lost her mind in this war.
13. That night the dogs begin to sound ________________; in the morning the boys find:
a. human; Saidu dead
b. savage; all of the food has been eaten.
c. depressed; that everyone has abandoned the village.
d. happy; that there is a breakfast feast by the water.
Name: _________________________________________________ What page # are you currently on? _____________
Chapter 11 Reading Quiz: pp 89– 99
1. By the time the rain stops, the boys look like:
a. wet leaves
b. rats
c. soaked chickens
d. little girls
2. Why can’t the boys stop smiling?
a. They are approaching the village where they might find their families.
b. They were finally able to get a full night’s sleep.
c. They have been reunited with their loved ones.
d. They are all engaged in a game of soccer—even if they don’t have a real ball.
3. Why is Gasemu called Ngor?
a. No one knows; it is a name he adopted after the war.
b. It is his nickname.
c. It is a disrespectful term; no one in the village respects Gasemu.
d. It is a respectful term placed before the first name of adults.
4. What is assuring about Ngor Gasemu?
a. He is willing to play games with the boys.
b. When he smiles, his missing tooth reminds Ishmael that they have met before.
c. He never makes direct eye-contact.
d. He is never in the same place for very long.
5. What does Ishmael help Ngor Gasemu do? What happens next?
a. Pick bananas; gunshots are heard over the hill.
b. Clean the latrine; the old man is shot.
c. Find all of the children; a feast is served.
d. Bury all of the women; no one speaks.
6. Who/What does Ishmael finally see when he gets to the village?
a. The village at first appears to be deserted. Later, he finds Junior.
b. Ishmael finally meets up with his family members.
c. It is a complete war zone. Dead and mutilated bodies are everywhere.
d. He realizes he just spent 3 months walking in a complete circle. He is back in Mattru Jong.
7. Where does Ngor Gasemu take Ishmael? What does he see?
a. The house where his family had been staying; he is finally reunited with his brothers and father. There is
no sign of his mother yet.
b. The house where his family had been staying; the bodies inside have been charred beyond recognition.
c. An island just off of the cost. The island is deserted and lonely, but safe.
d. Gasemu takes Ishmael back to Mattru Jong. They set up camp and wait for news.
8. What does Ishmael do next?
a. He attacks Gamsemu and throws a pestle (a heavy tool with a used to crush spices) at his face.
b. He says dankie, or “thank you” in Afrikaans, and hugs him for a long time.
c. He travels on alone but with hope.
d. He hides in a bush for two months.
9. What do the other five boys do?
a. They turn back to whence they came.
b. They look to each other helplessly and then walk off in separate directions.
c. They join the R.U.F.
d. They begin fighting each other.
10. Who walks into the village?
a. a small group of girls and their mothers
b. a new group of traveling villagers
c. a group of more than 10 rebels
d. the military
11. Describe what is significant about the new group’s behavior?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
12. Where does Ishmael go? With whom does he travel?
a. He travels towards a coffee farm with the five boys and Gamsemu.
b. He travels to the town of Panpurr, which is said to be unoccupied.
c. He hides in an orange grove alone.
d. He and his family flee to the next village.
13. What happens to Gamsemu?
a. No one knows; they wake up in the morning and find him missing.
b. He is shot; he eventually dies.
c. He joins the military.
d. He murders 3 of the young boys.
14. What is Ishamel unable to get enough of?
a. Food. The bananas and oranges do not seem to fill his body.
b. Laughter. He didn’t realize how long it had been since he last smiled.
c. Sleep. His body is so fatigued he is unable to wake up.
d. Tears. He wants to cry more than he is able to.
Name: _________________________________________________ What page # are you currently on? _____________
Chapter 12 Reading Quiz: pp 100– 113
Use the map to answer the first three questions.
1.
Where did Ishmael’s journey start?
___________________________________________
2.
Where is he now?
___________________________________________
3.
What is significant about his current location?
___________________________________________
4. Read the text closely. Who is occupying the village of this chapter?
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. In the beginning, this new place is full of:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What do the men convince the young boys to do? How do they convince them?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Name: _________________________________________________ What page # are you currently on? _____________
Chapters 13 and 14: pp 113– 125