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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. In what languages are the books of "The Library of Babel" written?

2. From what point of view is "The Circular Ruins" written?

3. Which books often drive people to insanity?

4. What does the lottery cause?

5. Who is Dr. Yu Tsun?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Herbert Quain.

2. Describe Al-Mu'tasim.

3. What is discovered among the late Herbert Ashe's belongings?

4. How does the Babylon lottery cause an uprising?

5. Why is the student trying to find Al-Mu'tasim?

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

7. What is unique about the Babylon lottery?

8. Describe Dr. Yu Tsun.

9. What causes some people in the library of Babel to go insane?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare Borges' style of writing with the genre of hypertext fiction. How is "Ficciones" a precursor to hypertext fiction? What are the "forking paths" in "Garden of the Forking Paths"? What does Borges mean when he asks his readers to "become aware of all the possible choices we might make"?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Borges' view of redemption. Who is Al-Mu'tasim? What is the significance of the student's journey? How does the student find redemption?

Essay Topic 3

How does Borges use savants to express the themes of his work? What social implications does he draw from savant abilities? What are the positive and negative consequences that Borges associates with the growth of the human mind?

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