View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In what ways does Lalami say she lives in the so-called gray zone in the chapter "Faith"?
(a) She is Muslim, but she does not follow strict dietary laws on rituals.
(b) She is Muslim but she does not wear a headscarf.
(c) She is Muslim, but has not been home in over 20 years.
(d) She is Muslim but she does not talk to other people about her religion.

2. Which presidential candidate does Lalami say called Americans "foolish," "dumb," and "very, very stupid" (21)?
(a) Trump.
(b) Obama.
(c) McCain.
(d) Bush.

3. Lalami cites a poll at the end of "Faith," in which how many people said they would not vote for a Muslim presidential candidate?
(a) 85%.
(b) 50%.
(c) 15%.
(d) 4%.

4. Who asked Lalaimi's husband how many camels he had to trade to make her his wife in "Allegiance"?
(a) A border agent at the Hong Kong International Airport.
(b) A police officer in California.
(c) A police officer in Texas.
(d) A border agent at L.A. International Airport.

5. What religion was Lalami's mother forced to follow after being sent to an orphanage after her parents died?
(a) Judaism.
(b) Catholicism.
(c) Islam.
(d) Hinduism.

Short Answer Questions

1. In 1992, Pat Buchanan ran for the Republican nomination saying he was focused on preserving what?

2. What did talk show host Bill Maher say on his show that resulted in advertisers pulling their ads?

3. When a woman in the audience asks Lalami about her upbringing in Morocco, what topic did the conversation shift to?

4. In "Allegiance," what does Lalami says happens to Arabs and Muslims when they question the U.S. war in Afghanistan or Iraq?

5. According to Lalami in the chapter "Borders," how many Americans live in a border zone?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the conversation Lalami had with a seat mate on an airplane about Koreans in Gardena, California.

2. Under what administration was Operation Hold the Line implemented? How successful was it?

3. What information does Lalami provide about her mother's early life in "Faith"?

4. In "Faith," what does Lalami say about Muslim history in America? When did Muslim's first arrive? Why? How were they treated?

5. What are some of the strict rules Lalami says she learned of her religion in the chapter "Faith"?

6. In "Borders," how many U.S. border checkpoints does Lalami learn are in the country? How many Americans live in border zones?

7. What does Lalami note at the end of "Allegiance" about the prior use of the Pomona Fairplex, where she received her citizenship?

8. What year is it and why is Lalami at a ceremony at the start of "Allegiance"?

9. While reading from her novel The Moor's Account, what questions do audience members ask?

10. What are some things Lalami had to do in order to become a U.S. citizen?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 835 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample