View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. There is beauty in every meeting or gathering, the presence of _________, of 'the Friend' in one of Rumi's poems.
(a) Masters.
(b) Love.
(c) Students.
(d) Grains.

2. Barks compares humans talking about God to fish talking about the _________, in his commentary.
(a) Air.
(b) Sun.
(c) Sea.
(d) Bible.

3. Rumi became joyous, and then died, and then became a fool, according to his writing, and then became scattered _________.
(a) Pebbles.
(b) Water.
(c) Thought.
(d) Smoke.

4. The poet says that he is a letter to everyone around him, a letter which says, "_______" according to the poet.
(a) Honor.
(b) Live.
(c) Love.
(d) Pray.

5. When the poet talks about tearing down the ___________, he is talking about tearing down the self.
(a) Wall.
(b) Rocks.
(c) House.
(d) Books.

6. Rumi wants the reader to know that embracing _________ transforms this into joy.
(a) Animals.
(b) Others.
(c) Books.
(d) Hurt.

7. The __________ of the world around Rumi will become his clothes and his jewels, according to the teachings of Rumi's teacher.
(a) Lessons.
(b) Clouds.
(c) Secrets.
(d) Elements.

8. Rumi decided to answer that he wrote so much because no ________ came from the radiance inside of him.
(a) Understanding.
(b) Truth.
(c) Words.
(d) Peace.

9. The poet asks the reader to give everything, not to dull the drum's noise with a __________.
(a) Tear.
(b) Rattle.
(c) Question.
(d) Blanket.

10. Rumi asks the reader to make a __________, abhorring spiritual windowshoppers who are not giving fully of themselves.
(a) Commitment.
(b) Book.
(c) Blood oath.
(d) Prayer.

11. Barks points out the use of the word "_______" in one of the poems to be intended for the end of a vigil.
(a) She.
(b) This.
(c) You.
(d) That.

12. Then, according to Rumi, the student felt love and became the __________ cast by the light of the teacher.
(a) Truth.
(b) Shadow.
(c) Witness.
(d) Peace.

13. Barks talks in his commentary about the mysterious "________" in the poem, though he defines it differently.
(a) Book.
(b) You.
(c) Color.
(d) Bird.

14. What images in the book does Barks say reflect the idea of openings within the world and in the poems?
(a) Birds.
(b) Doors.
(c) Cages.
(d) Windows.

15. What is NOT one of the ways in which Rumi writes, according to Barks in his commentary piece?
(a) For glory.
(b) For himself.
(c) For no one.
(d) For others.

Short Answer Questions

1. Rumi stops his list of things which he uses to describe a friend within his poem in order to ______________.

2. The poet asks a reader to imagine returning to the place from whence they came and imagine being greeted with _________.

3. Though the _________ tries to think and read to find his lover again, there is no help in it, he realizes.

4. Rumi speaks in the poem mentioned in #157 about a _________ bringing him back to this lost connection.

5. The poet speaks of being locked in a _________ and of someone who brings him good and forgives him.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 451 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample