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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. Zohra tries to get Arthur and Lewis to make a pact with her to give up romance and to take what other action?

2. Upon seeing Lewis again, Arthur describes him as being as what "as ever"? (163)

3. What happens to Arthur's all-important tax form when he leaves France?

4. What task does Arthur plan to complete during his stay at the writer's retreat?

5. Which of Arthur's friends meets him in Marrakech and takes him to the site where the caravan will begin its journey across Morocco?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the symbolism of Ait Ben Haddou in Morocco?

2. What reasons does the narrator give for agreeing with Zohra's prounouncement that the witnessing of the Moroccan sunset is no time for talking?

3. What is ironic about the one thing Arthur says in perfect German during his stay in Germany?

4. How do Javier and Arthur meet in France?

5. In what ways does Arthur see Lewis and Clark's marriage as an ideal one?

6. How does the author use the narrator's discussion of camels in order to shape the reader's understanding of how Arthur's "single indulgence" (13) on the trip will likely turn out?

7. Discuss the significance of Arthur's reflection that he has always alternated between "the city of youth" and "the country of age" (112).

8. What reason does Arthur have for not describing his books until after they are published?

9. What is the subject of Arthur's fever dream in Paris when he is there with Freddy?

10. What reason is given for Arthur's decision not to stay longer in Paris by accepting another flight delay or by staying with Javier?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the many instances of irony within the novel's narrative and analyze the author's purpose for including each instance you discuss.

Essay Topic 2

Look carefully at the passages within the chapter Less German that describe Arthur's preferred teaching methods and his students' reactions to these methods. What is the author's purpose for discussing at length the nature of Arthur's role as a teacher?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's use of humor alongside humanist messages within the novel.

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