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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. When Khan accuses Polo of lying about the state of his empire, what does Polo say?

2. At the beginning of Chapter 2, what do Khan's messengers warn of?

3. What do the people of Zenobia imagine when asked to describe a happy life?

4. Khan tells Polo about his dreams of a city where the farewells from its harbor are what?

5. If a traveler walks into Zemrude with his head held down by grief, how will he see the city?

Short Essay Questions

1. Khan and Polo each envision model cities. From these models, what are the two men able to deduce?

2. How does Polo describe the young women of Armilla?

3. How does Khan react upon growing impatient with Polo's stories?

4. Describe how the means of communication between Khan and Polo evolves.

5. What is the significance of the large metal building located at the center of Fedora?

6. Describe the gods in the two religions of Isaura.

7. Why would you say the cities described by Polo in Chapter 3 have an especially dreamy quality about them?

8. How does Khan react to Polo's stories when he's feeling euphoric about his empire?

9. Describe the city of Zenobia.

10. Located 80 miles northwest of Zenobia, what is the city of Euphemia like?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Quite a few of Polo's descriptions reveal the condition of a city in its past, present, and future versions.

Part 1) How is the time line or chronology of a city illustrated by Polo's stories? Cite a few examples.

Part 2) What is the significance to Khan of showing him his cities through their chronology? What meaning or message is Polo trying to impart? What type of understanding does he hope the emperor will reach from this time line information?

Essay Topic 2

In many of Polo's stories, there is a strong relationship between the living and the dead.

Part 1) Give specific examples from the book of cities that exhibit some type of connection between those who are alive and those who have passed on.

Part 2) Why does Polo cover this theme? Why does he return to it again and again? What is he trying to establish, either for himself or for the emperor, regarding the interconnectedness of the living and the dead?

Essay Topic 3

Is it ever possible to tell whether Polo's stories have any truth to them or are completely made up? Why or why not? What examples or book passages support your conclusion?

(see the answer keys)

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