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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 do Market and Karel tell each other when they move out of his parents' home?
(a) That his parents were so kind to let them stay there, they'd like to return the favor someday.
(b) They want to live as far away from his mother as possible.
(c) That it was a nightmare to live there.
(d) That it was sad they had to move.

2. What is revealed?
(a) The corruption of the current regime.
(b) The plan to invade a neighboring country.
(c) Kundera's secret position as an editor of the political magazine.
(d) The hypocricy of the dancers.

3. What do Karel and Eva think is important to Marketa?
(a) That she be allowed to participate in the sexual relationship between Karel and Eva.
(b) To believe that Eva is more interested in her than in Karel.
(c) To believe that she is in control of the relationship between Karel and Eva.
(d) To believe Eva is in love with her.

4. Who is discussing the play "Rhinoceros" ?
(a) Madame Raphael's class.
(b) Madame Raphael's support group.
(c) Madame Raphael's political cell.
(d) No one.

5. Who does Karel picture in his mind when he, Marketa and Eva are together later?
(a) His mama's friend.
(b) His last wife.
(c) No one.
(d) The woman he was just speaking to on the phone.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Karel do on the phone?

2. With what does Mirek profess to be entranced as far as Zdena is concerned?

3. Who is waiting for Mirek when he arrives back home?

4. Where does Mirek arrive?

5. What does Zdena urge Mirek to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Mirek think of Zdena when they first meet and then become lovers?

2. What does Kundera say about laughter in response to Michelle and Gabrielle's laughter?

3. What situation in Kundera's personal past does he discuss after writing about laughter?

4. Where does Mirek stop and why is that problematic?

5. What is the larger meaning of the letters which Mirek is supposedly seeking to have back?

6. What do Kundera and other students do around 1948 and why? Do you think Kundera is speaking metaphorically or actuality.

7. What happens that embarrasses Mama?

8. What is Zdena response to Mirek's request for his letters and do you think she is being fair to Mirek?

9. Why does Kundera quit dancing and what does he imagine about the dancing? Of what do you think his imagining about the dancing is symbolic?

10. What does this Kundera say about our collective past?

(see the answer keys)

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