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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. In "The Shape of the Sword," what is the defining physical characteristic of John Vincent Moon?
(a) A scar on his face.
(b) He is missing his right hand.
(c) He is extremely short.
(d) He is hunchbacked.

2. In "The End," what instrument does the black man play outside Recabarren's bar?
(a) The drums.
(b) The guitar.
(c) The flute.
(d) The harmonica.

3. In "The Aleph," what is the Aleph?
(a) A strange bird.
(b) A mystical portal to visions of the past and present.
(c) The key to translating an unknown language.
(d) A sword said to have belonged to Saladin.

4. In "The Garden of Forking Paths," who has Dr. Yu arrested?
(a) Dr. Albert, affiliated with the police, handcuffs Yu before he dies.
(b) Pierre Menard.
(c) Dr. Yu turns himself in at the police station.
(d) Richard Madden.

5. In "The Wait," what happens to Villari at the end?
(a) He proves his innocence and can go free.
(b) He is shot to death.
(c) He kills his pursuer.
(d) He goes to prison.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "The Immortal," what is Marcus's profession?

2. In "The Wait," why does Senor Villari only go out at night?

3. In "The Theme of the Traitor and the Hero," which writer's work is partially a model for the assassination?

4. In "Funes, His Memory," how is Funes crippled?

5. In "The Other Death," how does the author suggest that Damian could be both a hero and a coward?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Three Versions of Judas," what are the three ways Runeberg portrays Judas?

2. In "The Circular Ruins," a man creates another man in a dream and ultimately discovers that he is a dream himself. Is Borges making a possible connection to the artistic process?

3. "The Two Kings and the Two Labyrinths" ends with the words, "Glory to Him who does not die." Who is the one "who does not die," and what is the reason for this invocation?

4. In "Emma Zunz," how does Emma exact revenge on Lowenthal for her father's death?

5. In "The Secret Miracle," does Hladik really gain anything in the year of frozen time that God grants him?

6. "The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim" is a review of a book that does not exist. How is this significant?

7. In "The Aleph," what is the narrator's attitude toward Carlos Argentino?

8. In "The Library of Babel," the imaginary library of the title is an allusion to the Tower of Babel. How is this appropriate?

9. In "Funes, His Memory," is Funes's prodigious memory a good thing or a bad thing?

10. In "The Lottery in Babylon," what could the lottery symbolize?

(see the answer keys)

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