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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. In The Tale of the Three Apples, who does the Caliph decree responsible for the woman's death?

2. In the story of the ruined man who became rich again through a dream, where does the wealthy man live?

3. When Ajib sees his father the first time, he believes him to be a what?

4. What does Abdullah, Son of Abi Kalibah, set off to find?

5. Who is Gobbo?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the main character in the story of The Ruined Man Who Became Rich Again Through A Dream rewarded for his faith?

2. What does Shahrazad teach the king through The Sweep and The Noble Lady?

3. In the story of Nur Al-Din Ali And His Son Al-Din Hasan, how does Shahrazad continue to work towards her goal of convincing King Shahhryar to change his beliefs about women?

4. In The Sweep and The Noble Lady, how did the Emir's pardon of the sweep seem just, although it was not the ultimate punishment (death)?

5. What message through the story is meant for the King from Shahrazad in The City of Many-Columned Iram and Abdullah Son of Abi Kalibah?

6. Describe the character of the man burdened with debts in The Man Who Stole The Dish of Gold Wherein The Dog Ate.

7. How in the Tale of Ghanim in Ayyub, The Distraught, The Thrall O'Love does Shahrazad strive to replace King Shahryar's distrust of women with doubt over his belief?

8. What does Shahrazad teach the king through her story In The Tale of Ma'an Son of Zaidah and The Badawi?

9. What humorous fact is revealed in regards to the two men fighting for the bag in Ali The Persian?

10. In Hatim Of the Tribe of Tayy, how does this story blur the lines between the living and the dead?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In The Tale of The Three Apples, the circular nature and connectedness of the happenings in Chapter 3 could arguably imply that there is a higher intention or being in power that if tapped, will lead the way to freedom and an improved life. In what way is this kind of fate/faith-based lesson-telling indicative of the times during which these tales were compiled?

Please keep in mind historical background, Islamic culture, and advantages to the author for the purposes of developing Shahrazad and the king's relationship.

Essay Topic 2

The City of Many-Columned Iram and Abdullah Son of Abi Kalibah, is unique in that King Shahsyar's faults are pointed out to him by a woman. But, unlike a court jester who can mock a king directly to point out his faults, Shahrazad has to hint at King Shahryar's faults through the stories of other kings with faults. Please write an essay on the facts/life situations Shahrazad must keep in mind throughout her entire experience with her king. In your intro, choose the adjective you use to describe how she must be with great care, and use them to back up your arguments.

Keep in mind:

The role of women in society at the time these stories were compiled.

The specific situation Shahrazad is in until the end of the book.

OR

After reading the above essay assignment, write a similar essay on what a similar/parallel situation might be for a woman to do something like this in present day, and the situational challenges she might face in similarity and/or difference to Shahrazad.

Essay Topic 3

In the story of The Angel of Death With The Proud King And The Devout Man, a wealthy man lived for his own glory while the devout man lived for God, so each man faced death differently: one as loss, the other as gain. The moral lesson is not about wealth or poverty, but about the character of a man. In short, wealth and position are meaningless in the next world because one cannot take his possessions to the grave. Citing specific examples from the tale as your supporting evidence, explore and explain how this tale flies in the face of the cultural and social beliefs of the day.

(see the answer keys)

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