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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. Who approaches Alex while he is at the beach?
(a) Grandfather.
(b) Little Igor.
(c) The police.
(d) Father.

2. What is the relationship between "The Dial" and Safran?
(a) The Dial is a tradition and nothing else.
(b) The Dial is Safran's father.
(c) The Dial is Safran's good luck charm.
(d) The Dial is Safran's great-great-great grandfather.

3. When Grandfather asks Alex for his life-savings, what does Alex ask for in exchange?
(a) To go with Grandfather.
(b) The car.
(c) Forgiveness.
(d) Sammy Davis Junior, Junior.

4. When the old woman's father was told to do something or his wife would be shot, what did he do?
(a) He laughed.
(b) He refused.
(c) He cursed them.
(d) He did as told.

5. Who is Alex referring to when he says, "it is as if after surviving so much, there was no longer a reason to survive" (143)?
(a) Jonathan's grandfather.
(b) Brod.
(c) Alex's Grandfather.
(d) Jonathan's grandmother.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did the Nazi's first do when they came to Trachimbrod?

2. Who does Safran think he looks like?

3. In "Letter Dated 26 January 1998," what did Alex tell Jonathan he did for the first time ever?

4. What is the result of Kolker's injuries?

5. After leaving Lista and drinking vodka, what do Grandfather, Alex, and Jonathan argue about?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the relationship between Safran in 1941, Brod in 1804, and the Dial.

2. "Letter Dated 17 November 1997" revolves around the theme of forgiveness. Give at least one example of who needs to be granted forgiveness and the reason.

3. After reading "What We Saw When We Saw Trachimbrod, or Falling in Love," the reader might suspect that Lista was a character in her own story. Who might she be? How do you know? Why do this?

4. How does Safran's teeth effect his life? What might have been different if he had not been born with teeth?

5. How does the Kolker change in "The Dial, 1941-1804-1941"?

6. Alex asks Jonathan to finish writing the chapter "An Overture to Illumination." Why? Does Jonathan do it? How can you tell?

7. Why does Alex send back the money that Jonathan sent him? Why is he angry?

8. Why does Grandfather ask Alex for money and what does Alex say in return? Will Alex give him the money?

9. What does Jonathan tell Alex about his grandmother while waiting for Grandfather and the old woman? What do Jonathan and his grandmother have in common?

10. Why do women fall in love with Safran?

(see the answer keys)

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