Malala UPDATED ACTUAL Exam
Questions and CORRECT Answers
1. Explain at least three examples of how Malala's father broke from tradition before and after
she was born? - CORRECT ANSWER - Put Malala's name on the family treeAsked people
to throw dried fruits, sweets, and coins into her cradleInstead of pushing Malala to get married,
he pushed for her to get an education.
2. Why do so few people in Pakistan celebrate the birth of a baby girl? What is the attitude of
Malala's father toward the birth his daughter? - CORRECT ANSWER - Baby girls
normally are frowned upon because they are simply there to cook and have children, whereas a
boy carries on the name and is allowed to accomplish anything he to desires. For this reason,
many don't celebrate the birth of a girl. However, her father was happy she was born, and he
broke many traditions to celebrate her.
3. After whom is Malala named? Why is this significant? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Malalai of Maiwand. Malalai was a strong warrior who stood up for what she believes in,
therefore Malala being given this name is a slight foreshadowing into the rest of her future, even
if her father didn't know that at the time.
4. What are society's expectations of girls? What are the attitudes of Malala and her father about
the role of girls in society? - CORRECT ANSWER - Society's expectations of girls is to
cook, clean, and have children. Malala and her father feel that girls should be educated, and that
they have much more meaning to their life than to simply cook and have babies.
5. Before she was shot, did Malala fear for her own life? Why or why not? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Malala did not fear for her life because she repeatedly said ""The Taliban have
never come for a small girl""(Yousafzai 7).
6. Why do you think the KPK is independent? Does this cultural and geographical independence
from the main part of Pakistan mean anything for the rest of Malala's story? - CORRECT
ANSWER - SWAT or KPK was once a part of the British colony (India). When the British
gave India their independence, the KPK went with Pakistan but stayed autonomous politically.
This independence from the main part of Pakistan might show that since she is from an
independent part of the country, Pakistan might not listen to her complaints about education.
, 7. What did Alexander the Great do when he reached the Swat Valley? - CORRECT
ANSWER - He came into the valley with thousands of elephants and soldiers on his way
from afghanistan to the indus, then built a wooden ramp for catapults and arrows to reach the top
of the mountain, and finally, climbed up the mountain to catch the star of jupiter as a symbol of
his power.
8. What are the various religions that have "ruled" the Swat Valley? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu.
9. It is important to note that Malala's early references to Pashtunwali explain a cultural code of
ethics that is separate from the actual religion of Islam, even though both had tremendous
influence in her formative years. She explains near the end of the chapter that "like all Swati's I
thought of myself first as Swati and then Pashtun, before Pakistani." Explain the difference in the
three terms and why she may have placed them in this order of importance. - CORRECT
ANSWER - At first she considered herself a Swati because that was what the majority of
people around them considered themselves. Gradually she grew into herself, and became more
aware of who she was becoming. She started to consider herself Pashtun. I think that since she
was able to identify herself she could call herself a true Pakistani. Also, due to her culture, Swati
is her specific division of Pashtun, therefore she is a more specific person when she classifies
them like this.
1. What issue did Malala's father overcome in his youth? - CORRECT ANSWER - He lost
most of his stutter He got his father's approval when he said a speech fluently without stuttering
in a contest
2. Was the "restricted" life of women always the case in Malala's home region? - CORRECT
ANSWER - It was for the people around her, but Malala's father wanted to give her more
freedom.
3. What events ushered in this more restrictive time? - CORRECT ANSWER - General Zia
ul-Haq came into power.
4. Explain how and why Malala's father eventually rejected jihad or what became known as
"militant Islam." - CORRECT ANSWER - He finally rejected jihad when he met Malala's
Questions and CORRECT Answers
1. Explain at least three examples of how Malala's father broke from tradition before and after
she was born? - CORRECT ANSWER - Put Malala's name on the family treeAsked people
to throw dried fruits, sweets, and coins into her cradleInstead of pushing Malala to get married,
he pushed for her to get an education.
2. Why do so few people in Pakistan celebrate the birth of a baby girl? What is the attitude of
Malala's father toward the birth his daughter? - CORRECT ANSWER - Baby girls
normally are frowned upon because they are simply there to cook and have children, whereas a
boy carries on the name and is allowed to accomplish anything he to desires. For this reason,
many don't celebrate the birth of a girl. However, her father was happy she was born, and he
broke many traditions to celebrate her.
3. After whom is Malala named? Why is this significant? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Malalai of Maiwand. Malalai was a strong warrior who stood up for what she believes in,
therefore Malala being given this name is a slight foreshadowing into the rest of her future, even
if her father didn't know that at the time.
4. What are society's expectations of girls? What are the attitudes of Malala and her father about
the role of girls in society? - CORRECT ANSWER - Society's expectations of girls is to
cook, clean, and have children. Malala and her father feel that girls should be educated, and that
they have much more meaning to their life than to simply cook and have babies.
5. Before she was shot, did Malala fear for her own life? Why or why not? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Malala did not fear for her life because she repeatedly said ""The Taliban have
never come for a small girl""(Yousafzai 7).
6. Why do you think the KPK is independent? Does this cultural and geographical independence
from the main part of Pakistan mean anything for the rest of Malala's story? - CORRECT
ANSWER - SWAT or KPK was once a part of the British colony (India). When the British
gave India their independence, the KPK went with Pakistan but stayed autonomous politically.
This independence from the main part of Pakistan might show that since she is from an
independent part of the country, Pakistan might not listen to her complaints about education.
, 7. What did Alexander the Great do when he reached the Swat Valley? - CORRECT
ANSWER - He came into the valley with thousands of elephants and soldiers on his way
from afghanistan to the indus, then built a wooden ramp for catapults and arrows to reach the top
of the mountain, and finally, climbed up the mountain to catch the star of jupiter as a symbol of
his power.
8. What are the various religions that have "ruled" the Swat Valley? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Buddhist, Muslim, and Hindu.
9. It is important to note that Malala's early references to Pashtunwali explain a cultural code of
ethics that is separate from the actual religion of Islam, even though both had tremendous
influence in her formative years. She explains near the end of the chapter that "like all Swati's I
thought of myself first as Swati and then Pashtun, before Pakistani." Explain the difference in the
three terms and why she may have placed them in this order of importance. - CORRECT
ANSWER - At first she considered herself a Swati because that was what the majority of
people around them considered themselves. Gradually she grew into herself, and became more
aware of who she was becoming. She started to consider herself Pashtun. I think that since she
was able to identify herself she could call herself a true Pakistani. Also, due to her culture, Swati
is her specific division of Pashtun, therefore she is a more specific person when she classifies
them like this.
1. What issue did Malala's father overcome in his youth? - CORRECT ANSWER - He lost
most of his stutter He got his father's approval when he said a speech fluently without stuttering
in a contest
2. Was the "restricted" life of women always the case in Malala's home region? - CORRECT
ANSWER - It was for the people around her, but Malala's father wanted to give her more
freedom.
3. What events ushered in this more restrictive time? - CORRECT ANSWER - General Zia
ul-Haq came into power.
4. Explain how and why Malala's father eventually rejected jihad or what became known as
"militant Islam." - CORRECT ANSWER - He finally rejected jihad when he met Malala's
