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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Tamina ask Bibi to get at Tamina's stepmother's house?
(a) Pictures of Tamina's daughter.
(b) Pictures of Tamina's son.
(c) Some of Tamina's clothes.
(d) A parcel.

2. What does Tamina do one day?
(a) Takes over an entire dorm room.
(b) Tries to swim away from the island.
(c) Kills the biggest boy in the group.
(d) Teaches the children how to talk.

3. What happens to Tamina eventually?
(a) She is killed by a young man.
(b) She has no memory of her prior life.
(c) She becomes a mother to all the children.
(d) She marries Raphael.

4. What is Kristyna to the student?
(a) A potential wife.
(b) Like a Band-aid, soothing his ego.
(c) A good person with whom to discuss poetry and art.
(d) Nothing.

5. What turns off the student about Kristyna when she arrives?
(a) Her provincial appearance.
(b) Her loud voice.
(c) Her obvious hero worship of him.
(d) Nothing; he is delighted with her.

Short Answer Questions

1. How is Tamina's situation similar to her husband's when he was ill?

2. Who is Kristyna?

3. What is the man's name who drives off with Tamina in a red sports car?

4. Who is Tamina?

5. What does Tamina do when the boy gets tired?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Tamina's situation where Raphael takes her similar to her husband's situation just before he dies?

2. Why do you think Kundera blurs historical moments?

3. What does Kundera do at the opening to Part VI: The Angels?

4. What is the meaning of the word litost?

5. What does Tamina do shortly after her husband dies and what might this foreshadow?

6. What happens to Kundera's father in Part 6 and what do you think is the significance of Kundera writing about what happens to his father?

7. Where does the student go the day before Kristyna arrives and how does this affect the interaction between Kristyna and the student?

8. How are the Czechs and litost related in Kundera's opinion?

9. What is ironic about the student deceiving Kristyna and attending the Writer's Club meeting?

10. Where does Tamina go with Raphael?

(see the answer keys)

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