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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 does Adriaan ask the narrator to do while he is gone?

2. How did Jana react when the narrator first told her about Adriaan?

3. In Chapter 5, what unusual assignment is the narrator given?

4. What does the narrator say an interpreter might sound like to a layperson at first?

5. What does Jana compliment Adriaan on that seems ridiculous to the narrator?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 5, what does the narrator worry that the taxi driver might think she is working as?

2. What does translation and interpretation require, according to the narrator?

3. Why is the accused jihadist late in arriving at the detention center?

4. Why does Kees make the narrator uncomfortable in Chapter 3?

5. Why is the narrator unsettled when she arrives at Jana's for her dinner with Jana and Adriaan?

6. Why is it a significant step for Jana to own her own apartment?

7. Why does Adriaan ask the narrator not to move to Jana's neighborhood?

8. How does the narrator first meet Adriaan?

9. What does Jana say happened outside her building the last time the narrator had visited during the dinner with Adriaan?

10. How does the narrator feel about New York City in Part I?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the former president's parting words to the narrator make her feel, and why? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why does the narrator ultimately turn down Bettina's offer of a permanent job in translating at The Hague? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

When and how does the narrator begin to differentiate between herself and her colleagues who are translators at The Hague? What does she begin to realize about the nature of the work during the former president's trial? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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