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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Story of the Two Dreamers," what does the man's dream tell him?
(a) He will marry a princess.
(b) He will make money in Persia.
(c) He will die in battle.
(d) He will become a priest who doesn't believe in God.

2. In "The Zahir," what is his lover's sister obsessed with?
(a) A coin.
(b) Hats.
(c) Clouds.
(d) A Blue Tiger.

3. Thematically, "Pierre Menard, Author of Quixote" deals most closely with which of the following?
(a) Borges's thinly disguised self-hatred.
(b) The inferiority of the novel as an art form.
(c) The evils of plagiarism.
(d) The nature of literary criticism and the issues surrounding interpretation.

4. In "The Immortal," what is Marcus's profession?
(a) Soothsayer.
(b) Blacksmith.
(c) Roman legionnairre.
(d) Poet.

5. In "Funes, His Memory," the powers of Funes can best be described as which of the following?
(a) Extremely useful: Funes makes an excellent living using the powers of his mind.
(b) Inconsequential: Funes might remember everything, but goes about his usual daily life.
(c) A mixed blessing--he can do things such as easily learn languages, but he is also trapped by this glut of information.
(d) Maddening: from the onset of his heightened memory, Funes is simply stark, raving mad.

6. In "The Writing of God," how can Tzinacan escape?
(a) By bribing one corrupt guard.
(b) By reciting the Bible.
(c) By reading the fourteen words on the animal beside him.
(d) With a mysterious hacksaw he finds.

7. In "The Immortal," which of the following best describes the result of attaining immortality?
(a) It is wonderful, for wisdom and pleasure can be endlessly pursued.
(b) Because man's life is no longer finite, he loses motivation, and degenerates into a base creature.
(c) It is pure torture; humans truthfully crave their own death.
(d) It does not really change anything.

8. In "A Survey of the Works of Herbert Quain," how does Quain react when he does have some artistic success?
(a) He is upset and writes some short stories with ruined endings.
(b) He is indifferent: he feels an artist should remain perfectly nuetral to how his work is received.
(c) He is elated and lives a life of literary celebrity.
(d) He strangely turns criminal and embarks on a life of petty crime.

9. In "Man on the Pink Corner," what does the Yardmaster challenge Rosendo to?
(a) A knife fight.
(b) A duel with pistols.
(c) A wrestling match.
(d) A foot race.

10. In "Averroes' Search," what concept or concepts can Averroes not comprehend?
(a) Greek tragedy and comedy.
(b) The philosophy of Aristotle.
(c) Christianity.
(d) The philosophy of Plato.

11. In "The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim," what does the law student think he has done that causes him to live in exile with India's most wretched populace?
(a) Killed a Muslim.
(b) Committed blasphemy.
(c) Killed a Hindu.
(d) Committed adultery.

12. "The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim," can best be described as which of the following?
(a) An adventure story.
(b) A comedy.
(c) A review of a novel that does not exist.
(d) An satire of the Biblical story of Noah's Ark.

13. In "A Theologian in Death," Melancthon believes that salvation is achieved in what way?
(a) He does not believe salvation is possible.
(b) Through faith alone.
(c) By giving up all of one's possessions.
(d) Through living virtuously.

14. In "The Two Kings and the Two Labyrinths," whom does the King of Babylon imprison in a labyrinth?
(a) The King of England.
(b) A notorious murderer.
(c) His manservant.
(d) The King of Arabia.

15. In "The Dead Man," why does Otalora first have to leave Argentina?
(a) He seeks a cure for a strange disease.
(b) He has slept with a woman whose husband pursues him.
(c) He has killed a man.
(d) He owes back taxes.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the sorcerer discover at the end of "The Circular Ruins"?

2. In "Three Versions of Judas," what is the first version of Judas?

3. In "Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius," who first finds an article about Uqbar?

4. In "The Improbable Impostor Tom Castro," how does Tom make a living after he gets out of jail?

5. In "The Story of the Warrior and the Captive Maiden," who is Droctulft?

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