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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 is the nomad riding on when he meets Ma'an?

2. To whom does Abdullah first report this newfound news?

3. What does Shahrazad do in order to stay alive?

4. When the King of Himyar awoke, what did he find?

5. After Ma'an asks the nomad where he came from, what does the nomad speak of doing when he arrives at his destination?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What is the purpose of Shahrazad deciding to tell this seemingly innocuous story to the king in Ali The Persian?

4. In the story of The Ruined Man Who Became Rich Again Through A Dream, Shahrazad reminds King Shahryar that a life lived in faith is rewarding. Why is this an important reminder from Shahrazad to the king?

5. What is one moral implied by Shahrazad in the Tale of Ghanim in Ayyub, The Distraught, The Thrall O'Love?

6. In The Story of King Shahryar and His Brother, the tale within a tale about the fisherman and the Jinni demonstrates the power of what kind of belief system?

7. What kind of a character is the hermit in The Hermits?

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

9. Through this story of Nur Al-Din Ali And His Son Al-Din Hasan, how does Shahrazad indirectly remind King Shahryar of the value of family?

10. 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?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Shahrazad is clearly an ingenious, persistent, and indelible character in The Arabian Nights and to the people of Persia, both in the book and through the book. Identify the stories she tells that you would find most poignant and pertinent to the People of Persia at the time this book was originally published. Write an essay arguing for the stories that may have been the most important and memorable for the people of the times, and why.

Draw hypotheses and conclusions specifically regarding:

A. What you have learned about Islamic culture/religion.

B. The ages of the stories.

C. The morals offered up in each story.

D. The way by which the stories are told (i.e. fables, humor-based, character sympathy, etc.).

Essay Topic 2

The seemingly random and somewhat humorous story of How Abu Hasan Broke Wind seems to have no apparent places in this plethora of artfully told selection of moralistic tales. Explore the reasons why Shahrazad may have decided to tell this tale. Consider the following background concepts when outlining your essay:

Characters' intentions/reasonings.

Length of the book itself.

Length of the tale.

Essay Topic 3

In Abu Kir The Dyer And Abu Sir The Barber, the character of goodness in Abu Sir saves him from the evil actions of his false friend Abu Kir. All lies clearly become revealed in time, and as the saying goes, time heals all wounds. Write an essay outlining and explaining the ways in which the lessons stated above are acted out and proven throughout Abu Kir The Dyer And Abu Sir The Barber.

(see the answer keys)

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