A Thousand Splendid Suns

This flexible-use quiz is designed for reading comprehension assessment and activity needs in classroom, home-schooling and other settings. Questions connect to the text’s plot, characters, and themes — and align with the content and chapter organization in the rest of this study guide. Use quizzes as pre-reading hooks, reading checks, discussion starters, entrance/exit “tickets,” small group activities, writing activities, and lessons on finding evidence and support in a text.

Depth of Knowledge Levels: Questions require respondents to demonstrate ability to: 

1. Recall and Understand Content (e.g., who, what, where, when) 
2. Apply and Analyze Ideas (e.g., how and why)

1. What is a harami?

A) a head covering worn by Muslim women

B) an illegitimate child born out of wedlock

C) a traditional Afghan home made of concrete

D) a musical instrument similar to a guitar

2. In Mariam’s opinion, why does Nana try to prevent her from living life as fully as she can?

A) because Nana is afraid Mariam will find the happiness Nana never had

B) because Nana doesn’t want to see Mariam get hurt

C) because Nana suffers from serious mental illness

D) because Nana is resistant to change

Discussion Suggestion: Use the above question to discuss Nana’s true motivations for sheltering young Mariam, Mariam’s perceptions of Nana’s actions, and the tension evident between the characters’ divergent understandings.