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. What fear does the protagonist of "The Circular Ruins" have for his son?
(a) He will discover he is the product of a dream.
(b) He will die in a fire.
(c) He will disappear.
(d) The gods will steal him.

2. To whom does the protagonist in "The Circular Ruins" pray?
(a) The planetary gods.
(b) The moon and stars.
(c) The sun.
(d) No one.

3. Which great literary work does Pierre Menard rewrite?
(a) A Farewell to Arms.
(b) Don Quixote.
(c) Moby Dick.
(d) A Tale of Two Cities.

4. What does the protagonist of "The Circular Ruins" dream of doing?
(a) Singing.
(b) Building.
(c) Sewing.
(d) Teaching.

5. From what point of view is "The Babylon Lottery" written?
(a) Second person.
(b) First person.
(c) Second person omniscient.
(d) Third person.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius", from what source does one of the men quote?

2. How does Pierre Menard describe the work of Edgar Allen Poe?

3. How is the universe described in "The Library of Babel"?

4. What does Herbert Quain inspire the narrator to write?

5. Which room do the Purifiers seek?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to the narrator, what is the most important theme of "The Approach of Al-Mu'tasim"?

2. What is the irony prevalent in "Pierre Menard, Author of Don Quixote"?

3. Describe the second dream from "The Circular Ruins."

4. Who are the Purifiers?

5. Describe Pierre Menard.

6. What does Dr. Stephen Albert reveal to Dr. Yu Tsun?

7. Describe Al-Mu'tasim.

8. In "The Examination of the World of Herbert Quain," how does Borges use fictional literature to present his themes?

9. What revelation does the narrator have about Uqbar and Tlon at the end of the story, "Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius"?

10. What is unique about the Babylon lottery?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,185 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample