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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. Which of these is NOT one of the four types of people, according to Belbo?

2. In what year were the Knights Templar arrested?

3. Casaubon and others are invited to join Aglie at an occult ritual outside of what city?

4. Why does Belbo want Casaubon to meet Mr. Garamond, in Chapter 37?

5. What is Agartha?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Project Hermes?

2. What is Casaubon doing, as the novel opens?

3. What information does Colonel Ardenti relay to Casaubon and Belbo?

4. How is Signor Aglie described?

5. What happens at the religious ceremony to which Aglie invites Casaubon and Amparo?

6. How does Casaubon unlock Belbo's computer?

7. How did Casaubon, Belbo and Diotallevi meet?

8. What does Casaubon witness at the ceremonies Aglie invited him and his group to?

9. What changed, in Italy, during the time that Casaubon was living in Brazil?

10. What idea does Mr. Garamond get from his meeting with Professor Bramanti?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Anti-Semitic theories abound in the novel, as well as throughout history. Why are the Jews so commonly presented as villains in religious, historical and occult traditions and stories? How does Casaubon feel about them? What about Diotallevi? What role do they play in the Plan, and why? At what point do the characters' attitudes regarding the Jews' participation in the conspiracy change, and why? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

The author includes a great deal of technical information related to mathematics, physics, and other scientific disciplines. What purpose does this information serve in the novel? Why does the author choose to include it? How would the novel be different without the addition of this information? Do you agree with its inclusion, or would the novel have been better without it? Why? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the main characters' individual quests for knowledge and truth. How do Casaubon, Belbo and Diotallevi search for their version of the truth? What does each character, respectively, discover? What are the similarities and differences in each character's version of the truth? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

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This section contains 972 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample