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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. Who said happiness was inconceivable without terraces?

2. When Mernissi wanted information about how to do the love glance from Malika, what did Malika want for payment?

3. Who did Mernissi go to for comfort at the end of the book after she realized that she and Samir would no longer be together as playmates?

4. What word was embroidered on Chama and Mernissi's mother's black velvet hats?

5. Why did Mina like to go to the forbidden terrace?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Mina tell Mernissi about the gap between men and women?

2. What was Mernissi's father's attitude about her mother's beauty rituals?

3. How did Mina survive being put down a well by her kidnappers as a young child?

4. How did Lalla Mani prepare her face mask made of dates?

5. What did the grownups think that children should know about violence?

6. Why was Samir thrown out of the women's hamman?

7. What was Aunt Habiba's rule for the children who attended Sidi Belal's dance?

8. What did the big bird design Aunt Habiba was stitching symbolize to her?

9. Describe Mina's physical appearance.

10. Why did the women of the harem believe that they had to look as ugly as possible during their beauty rituals?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Yasmina's view of harems. What did she dislike about being in a harem? How did she view her co-wives? How did she provide comfort to wives who felt lonely?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss how Mernissi's life changed once institutions for educating girls were approved. What did she like about the nationalist school she transferred to? How did going to this school improve her life?

Essay Topic 3

How did the appearance of American soldiers in Morocco for the first time impact the harem and their illicit activities on the terrace? Why was Mernissi's father against American products, and what did her mother have to say about women using these products?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 770 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample