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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. What is the Greek word for knowledge that Casaubon mentions?

2. What does Aglie ask Belbo to do for him?

3. Who is the Old Man of the Mountain?

4. Where does Casaubon go to inquire about Aglie in Chapter 112?

5. Which cloaked individual is leading the ceremony in the Conservatoire?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Casaubon and Lia talk about while on their family vacation?

2. What happens to Casaubon at the end of the novel?

3. Casaubon believes that John Dee played what role in the disruption of the Templars' line of communication?

4. What are Casaubon's speculations about Mr. Postel, in Chapter 88?

5. How does Casaubon reinterpret the message of the parchment Ardenti discovered?

6. What happens to Diotallevi in Chapter 101?

7. What was Napoleon's role in the Jesuit-Templar conflict?

8. What was the relationship between the Templars and the Jesuits, according to Casaubon's theory?

9. What story does Casaubon's group devise from Abulafia's output?

10. Why does Casaubon include a group not related to the Freemasons when constructing his time line?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Amparo values reason over spirituality and mysticism, and is so embarrassed by her possession experience that she leaves Casaubon and never returns. Why is she so mortified by this experience? Why does she value reason so highly? What about her culture makes her more inclined toward mysticism, and why does she oppose those impulses? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss some of the literary devices employed by the author in the novel (flashbacks, foreshadowing, symbolism, etc.) How effective is the author's use of these devices, and why? Where were they used in the novel, and to what end? Do these elements flow naturally within the text, or do they seem forced or poorly transitioned? Why? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Lorenza's relationship with Belbo is a complicated one. How does Belbo feel about her, and how does she respond? What effect does their relationship have on Belbo? How is she involved in Belbo's murder? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

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