A Thousand Splendid Suns Exam Questions and Answers
2023 Solved Correctly
A kolba is _________________
a hut or very small home
A jinn is _________________
an evil spirit
Dil is_____________________
courage, moral strength, or guts
Who is Mariam?
One of the main characters in the story who was born a harami
Who is Nana?
An Afghani house servant who becomes pregnant by her married boss
Who is Jalil?
Mariam's father
Why does Nana refuse to live in the city of Herat?
Because she would then be forced to see Jalil's wives and children and she also does
not want to hear people gossip about her
Why didn't Nana get married when she was 15 years old?
Nana did not get married because a jinn entered her body
What is penance?
A self imposed punishment for one's sins
What does Nana do that makes Mariam feel sorry for Jalil's sons?
Nana insults the boys and throws rocks at them
How does Nana feel about Mariam attending school?
Nana does not want Mariam to attend school
What does it mean to endure?
It means to suffer
What does Nana mean when she says, "women like us"?
Nana is referring to lower class or poor women like herself and Mariam
How many children does Jalil have?
Including Mariam, he has 11 children
How does the author, Hosseini develop the motif (dominant idea) of isolation in
chapter 4?
Hosseini develops this motif by illustrating the isolation that Mariam feels while living in
the kolba with her mother on the outskirts of town away from other people
What is Nana's intention behind mocking(making fun of) the present that Jalil
brings for Mariam?
Nana mocked the present from Jalil in order to make Mariam believe that his gift was
cheap and insincere
What does Mariam fantasize about?
Mariam fantasizes about living in her father's home and being a part of his family
To whom is Nana's "accusing glare" directed?
Jalil because he is falsely getting Mariam's hope up & Mariam because she brought up
the idea of going to the movies
, Why did the author, Hosseini choose Pinocchio as the movie playing in Jalil's
theatre?
The author chose the movie, Pinocchio because there is the motif(theme) of telling lies
throughout the book as well as Mariam's own wish to be considered a "real girl" by living
with her father in his home.
Which of the following best describes Mariam's first impression of Herat?
Mariam thinks Herat is beautiful
What happened when Mariam knocked on the door of Jalil's house?
A servant answered the door, but would not let Mariam in the house, so she waited
outside all night only to be told to leave by Jalil's chauffeur in the morning
Specifically, how did Nana die?
Nana committed suicide by hanging herself from a tree
Which of the following best describes Mariam's feelings regarding the death of
her mother?
Mariam felt responsible for the death of her mother because Nana had warned her not
to leave
One night, Mariam is awakened by the sound of "shouting, ...'sharp...angry'
voices, and a 'slammed door." What is going on in Jalil's home this evening?
The wives were arguing with Jalil because they wanted Mariam to leave
What is the motive (reason) behind Jalil's wives wanting to find a suitor (future
husband) for Mariam?
Jalil's wives wanted Mariam to find a husband because as long as she remained in their
home, she would continue to be a constant reminder of Jalil's mistake
(infidelity/cheating/adultery)
Although Jalil finally includes Mariam as a part of his household, now more than
ever she feels like an outsider. Why?
Because one of Mariam's half sisters told her they were not really sisters
Which of the following is an example of Mariam's behavior where she seems like
an adult on page 55 in the book?
Mariam telling her father, Jalil to never visit her because she did not want to hear from
him ever again
Which of the following is an example of Rasheed's behavior where he seems like
a good husband?
When Rasheed to Mariam clothes shopping
Which of the following is an example of Rasheed's behavior where he does not
seem to be a good husband?
When Rasheed yells at Mariam for crying about getting married
Where does Rasheed take Mariam?
Rasheed takes Mariam to the Shar-e-Nau park
How did Mariam feel about wearing the burqa?
Mariam felt somewhat protected and comforted by the burqa
What does Mariam eat for the first time?
Ice cream
Which of the following best describes Chicken street?
Chicken street is very narrow and crowded
Which of the following best describes the women in this area of Chicken street?
2023 Solved Correctly
A kolba is _________________
a hut or very small home
A jinn is _________________
an evil spirit
Dil is_____________________
courage, moral strength, or guts
Who is Mariam?
One of the main characters in the story who was born a harami
Who is Nana?
An Afghani house servant who becomes pregnant by her married boss
Who is Jalil?
Mariam's father
Why does Nana refuse to live in the city of Herat?
Because she would then be forced to see Jalil's wives and children and she also does
not want to hear people gossip about her
Why didn't Nana get married when she was 15 years old?
Nana did not get married because a jinn entered her body
What is penance?
A self imposed punishment for one's sins
What does Nana do that makes Mariam feel sorry for Jalil's sons?
Nana insults the boys and throws rocks at them
How does Nana feel about Mariam attending school?
Nana does not want Mariam to attend school
What does it mean to endure?
It means to suffer
What does Nana mean when she says, "women like us"?
Nana is referring to lower class or poor women like herself and Mariam
How many children does Jalil have?
Including Mariam, he has 11 children
How does the author, Hosseini develop the motif (dominant idea) of isolation in
chapter 4?
Hosseini develops this motif by illustrating the isolation that Mariam feels while living in
the kolba with her mother on the outskirts of town away from other people
What is Nana's intention behind mocking(making fun of) the present that Jalil
brings for Mariam?
Nana mocked the present from Jalil in order to make Mariam believe that his gift was
cheap and insincere
What does Mariam fantasize about?
Mariam fantasizes about living in her father's home and being a part of his family
To whom is Nana's "accusing glare" directed?
Jalil because he is falsely getting Mariam's hope up & Mariam because she brought up
the idea of going to the movies
, Why did the author, Hosseini choose Pinocchio as the movie playing in Jalil's
theatre?
The author chose the movie, Pinocchio because there is the motif(theme) of telling lies
throughout the book as well as Mariam's own wish to be considered a "real girl" by living
with her father in his home.
Which of the following best describes Mariam's first impression of Herat?
Mariam thinks Herat is beautiful
What happened when Mariam knocked on the door of Jalil's house?
A servant answered the door, but would not let Mariam in the house, so she waited
outside all night only to be told to leave by Jalil's chauffeur in the morning
Specifically, how did Nana die?
Nana committed suicide by hanging herself from a tree
Which of the following best describes Mariam's feelings regarding the death of
her mother?
Mariam felt responsible for the death of her mother because Nana had warned her not
to leave
One night, Mariam is awakened by the sound of "shouting, ...'sharp...angry'
voices, and a 'slammed door." What is going on in Jalil's home this evening?
The wives were arguing with Jalil because they wanted Mariam to leave
What is the motive (reason) behind Jalil's wives wanting to find a suitor (future
husband) for Mariam?
Jalil's wives wanted Mariam to find a husband because as long as she remained in their
home, she would continue to be a constant reminder of Jalil's mistake
(infidelity/cheating/adultery)
Although Jalil finally includes Mariam as a part of his household, now more than
ever she feels like an outsider. Why?
Because one of Mariam's half sisters told her they were not really sisters
Which of the following is an example of Mariam's behavior where she seems like
an adult on page 55 in the book?
Mariam telling her father, Jalil to never visit her because she did not want to hear from
him ever again
Which of the following is an example of Rasheed's behavior where he seems like
a good husband?
When Rasheed to Mariam clothes shopping
Which of the following is an example of Rasheed's behavior where he does not
seem to be a good husband?
When Rasheed yells at Mariam for crying about getting married
Where does Rasheed take Mariam?
Rasheed takes Mariam to the Shar-e-Nau park
How did Mariam feel about wearing the burqa?
Mariam felt somewhat protected and comforted by the burqa
What does Mariam eat for the first time?
Ice cream
Which of the following best describes Chicken street?
Chicken street is very narrow and crowded
Which of the following best describes the women in this area of Chicken street?
