The Horse and His Boy, Chapter 3: At the Gates of Tashbaan quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. Where is the city of Tashbaan built?

   • On a mountainside overlooking the sea
   • Correct answer: On an island in the middle of a broad river
   • In a deep valley between two mountain ranges
   • On a peninsula extending into a great lake

   Tashbaan is built on an island in the middle of a broad river, connected to the mainland by a single great bridge.

   Read the passage
2. 2

   Question 2. What building sits at the very top of Tashbaan?

   • The Temple of Tash
   • The Great Library
   • Correct answer: The palace of the Tisroc
   • The Tarkaans' council hall

   The palace of the Tisroc crowns the summit of the city, with each level below growing progressively less grand.

   Read the passage
3. 3

   Question 3. What is the companions' plan for crossing Tashbaan?

   • Sneak through the city at night when the streets are empty
   • Disguise themselves as Calormene soldiers
   • Correct answer: Enter through the main gate, cross quickly, and exit through the north gate
   • Swim across the river to avoid the city entirely

   The plan is to enter through the main gate, cross the city by the most direct route, exit through the north gate, and not stop or attract attention.

   Read the passage
4. 4

   Question 4. Why is Shasta so disoriented when he enters Tashbaan?

   • He is suffering from illness contracted on the road
   • Correct answer: He has never seen anything larger than a fishing village
   • He cannot understand the Calormene language
   • He is blinded by the bright sunlight reflecting off the buildings

   Shasta has never seen anything larger than a fishing village and has no frame of reference for the massive city, its crowds, or its towering buildings.

   Read the passage
5. 5

   Question 5. What advantage does Aravis have over Shasta in navigating Tashbaan?

   • She has a detailed map of the city
   • She can speak multiple languages
   • Correct answer: She understands Calormene social codes from her aristocratic upbringing
   • She has magical abilities that help her blend in

   As a Tarkheena, Aravis understands how to move through crowds, avoid soldiers, and maintain a convincing cover — skills from her aristocratic upbringing.

   Read the passage
6. 6

   Question 6. Who mistakes Shasta for someone else in the streets of Tashbaan?

   • Calormene soldiers looking for a runaway slave
   • Correct answer: A group of Narnians visiting the city
   • Merchants who think he stole from their stall
   • Priests of the temple of Tash

   A group of Narnians — tall, fair-skinned foreigners — mistake Shasta for someone he closely resembles and pull him away from his companions.

   Read the passage
7. 7

   Question 7. Who do the Narnians believe Shasta to be?

   • A young Narnian soldier who went missing
   • Correct answer: Prince Corin of Archenland
   • King Edmund of Narnia
   • A Calormene spy they want to capture

   The Narnians mistake Shasta for Prince Corin of Archenland, whom he closely resembles because they are actually twin brothers.

   Read the passage
8. 8

   Question 8. What literary device does Lewis use when the Narnians seize Shasta?

   • Foreshadowing
   • Correct answer: Dramatic irony
   • Allegory
   • Personification

   It is dramatic irony because the Narnians are the very people the companions are trying to reach, but their mistaken identity transforms allies into an obstacle.

   Read the passage
9. 9

   Question 9. What phrase do Calormenes always add when mentioning the Tisroc?

   • "Blessed be his name"
   • Correct answer: "May he live forever"
   • "Lord of all lands"
   • "The sun of our empire"

   Calormenes habitually add "may he live forever" to every mention of their ruler, the Tisroc.

   Read the passage
10. 10

    Question 10. What does the hierarchical architecture of Tashbaan symbolize?

    • The journey from ignorance to enlightenment
    • Correct answer: The rigid social structure of the Calormene empire
    • The importance of religion in daily life
    • The natural beauty of the Calormene landscape

    The terraced city mirrors Calormene society's rigid hierarchy, with power concentrated at the top (the Tisroc's palace) and poverty at the base.

    Read the passage
11. 11

    Question 11. What happens to the four companions by the end of Chapter 3?

    • They successfully cross the city and exit through the north gate
    • They are all captured by Calormene soldiers
    • Correct answer: They are separated across the city
    • They find shelter in a friendly merchant's house

    The companions are scattered: Shasta is carried off by the Narnians, while Aravis, Bree, and Hwin must fend for themselves separately in the city.

    Read the passage
12. 12

    Question 12. What do the gates of Tashbaan symbolize in this chapter?

    • The wealth and power of the Calormene empire
    • Correct answer: A point of no return where retreat becomes impossible
    • The gateway between the human world and the magical world
    • The protection that city walls offer to travelers

    The gates symbolize a point of no return — once inside, the companions are committed, with no easy retreat. They must find their way through or be consumed.

    Read the passage