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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What was Leila's favorite activity during her childhood?

2. How many siblings did Jameelah have at the time of her mother's death?

3. Who gave birth to the baby mentioned in the chapter entitled "Five Minutes"?

4. What was the name of the Lady Pharmacist's son who befriended Leila after she returned from a family vacation by the sea?

5. In "Seven Minutes," it is revealed that Leila began to call Sinan by what nickname when they still lived in Van?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Leila feel about the metropolis of Istanbul during her childhood?

2. Name and discuss one theme presented within the epigraph of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds

3. What was the setting of Leila's birth?

4. In what way did Uncle engage in the use of grooming techniques with Leila's parents in order to prevent his sexual abuse of Leila from being detected?

5. In what way do the themes of guilt and responsibility arise within the chapter entitled "Sinan's Story"?

6. How is the structure of the novel explained within the chapter in Part One entitled "One Minute"?

7. What does the red belt symbolize within the chapter entitled "Six Minutes"?

8. What does the braided bracelet symbolize in the chapter entitled "Seven Minutes"?

9. What does the narrator reveal about the reason for Leila's reluctance to talk about her past in the chapter entitled "Three Minutes"?

10. How did Leila first meet Nalan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Read a lengthy interview with Shafak. Write an essay explaining the connection between several of Shafak’s answers and a major theme presented within the text of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the instances of irony within the narrative of 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World and analyze Shafak’s purpose for including each instance you discuss.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze Shafak’s novel from an Existential perspective. What elements of life does it suggest hold the most meaning and why?

(see the answer keys)

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