View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. As Khan studies the wood of his chessboard, Polo begins to talk of:

2. Polo lays assorted items at the feet of Khan and uses them for what?

3. What is the furthest city to which Polo has ever traveled?

4. What happens to the city of Irene as one approaches it?

5. In Trude, only the name of what changes?

Short Essay Questions

1. It's not always clear in the story if Khan is speaking to Polo or merely imagining a conversation, such as when he supposedly confronts Polo regarding Venice. Whether the conversation happened or was imagined, what does Khan accuse Polo of regarding Venice?

2. How do the cities described by Polo in Chapter 8 depict confusion?

3. When people get lost in Eudoxia, what do they look at to find their bearings?

4. How does the perception of the city of Irene change depending on whether it's viewed by passersby or by inhabitants?

5. Describe the two species that protect Leandra.

6. Describe Esmeralda, the city of water.

7. How does Clarice preserve and display its history?

8. How does Polo use the game of chess to help Khan better understand the cities of his empire?

9. Why is it that someone arriving at Thekla will see very little of the city?

10. In Chapter 5, how does Polo illustrate to Khan the connections that hold cities together?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Polo plays with the concept of light and dark. Some cities have beautiful sides along with darker sides. Give examples of these, describing in detail both sides. Are the sides real or imagined? How do they complete the whole? What do you suppose are Polo's reasons for sharing both sides to the emperor? Explain your answers.

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

Part 1) Compare and contrast the two characters in the story, Kublai Khan and Marco Polo. In what ways are they similar? How are they different?

Part 2) What kind of a relationship do Khan and Polo have? What does each learn from the other? Do the characters grow and develop in any way through their interactions with each other? If so, how? Cite examples from the book to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,004 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample