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Read the following excerpt and answer the questions that follow.
They were silent as they climbed the hill on their way back from Nasila River to draw water. The water containers that they carried on their backs were now heavy. The straps that supported the containers pressed down their heads with a painful exhaustion. As they walked, each one of them allowed her mind to fleetingly roam the fanciful land of wishful thinking. Resian thought how wonderful it would be, had she had a chance to enroll at the Egerton University and after graduation had a chance to work with her role model, Minik ene Nkoitoi, the Emakererei at the sheep ranch that she managed. She imagined herself already there driving a large flock of sheep. And when she thought of sheep, her mind flew back to fifteen years or so earlier and reminisced the first time she saw a sheep. It was a childhood memory, a memorable picture from the swirling scene around her which had been captured and preserved by her mind when she...

Answer Text:
1. Place the excerpt in its immediate context.
Before the excerpt, Taiyo and Resian go to the River to fetch water. They remember their discussion with their aunt and admire Minik’s fight against women oppression by men. They mention that the fathers of the five hundred snatched girls must be very angry with her for.
After the excerpt, Taiyo sings the song she has composed about three women whom she refers as mice silently in her heart. One of those women is the enkamuratani chasing a woman with a knife.

2. Identify and illustrate two aspects of style in this excerpt.
Flashback- Resian recalls fifteen years back when she and Taiyo accompanied their father to the Nakuru agricultural show and she saw sheep the first time.
Vivid description-The sheep are vividly described as big, docile tawny wooly animals.
Metaphors-Taiyo calls the three women who collaborated with men to oppress women as Nasila’s three blind mice.

3. Discuss two themes evident in the excerpt.
Theme of Determination or optimism. Resian is full of optimism that one day she would join Egerton University.
Women as their own enemies. The three Nasila women collaborated with men to oppress women. The also threatened to curse the intoye nemelangana and ensured they did not get husbands nor children.
Negative cultural practices. The three women propagate negative cultural practices against women such as F.G.M.
The midwife Enkaitoyoni threatens to spy on the young women as they give birth to ensure that any who was still among intoiye nemengalana has her status altered there and then.

4. Discuss one character trait of Resian and Taiyo in the excerpt.
Resian is visionary- She thought how wonderful it would be, had she a chance to enroll at the Egerton University. She dreams of going to university.
Taiyo is critical-she composes a song ridiculing three Nasilian women who collaborated with men to oppress women.

5. The straps that supported the containers pressed down their heads with a painful exhaustion. Rewrite beginning: With…
With a painful exhaustion, the straps that supported the containers pressed down their heads.

6. How do Resian’s thoughts now come to be fulfilled in future? Briefly explain.
Later, she is rescued by Nabaru from a planned marriage by Olanrinkoi and his mother and is taken to Minik’s ranch. There, she is given a house and a job. Minik also helps in securing their admission at Egerton University. She also gives her a scholarship. The novel ends when she and Taiyo are going to University.

7. Explain the meaning of the following words as used in the excerpt.
(i) Reminisced
(ii) Collaborated
(iii) Dreaded
(iv)Menacingly

i) To recall/Recalled
ii) Worked together
iii) To fear
iv) In a threatening manner/ threateningly