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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. How did Tomas describe the editor to the man from the Ministry?

2. In Part 5, Chapter 12, the author states that love begins with a...

3. What does Tereza claim to Tomas during their dance at the hotel's bar?

4. In Part 4, Chapter 8, what did Tereza know had become of her and Tomas?

5. What was the incident that Tomas could not recall with his lover?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Part 5, Chapter 10, what distinguishes the women who looks like a giraffe and a stork from others?

2. In Part 4, Chapter 13, Tereza has a dream where she admits to the executioner that it wasn't her choice to come to the hill to die. Has she subconsciously renounced responsibility for her actions in order to proceed with what she wants to do?

3. What does Franz realize at the end of his trip to Cambodia?

4. Why does Tereza yearn to make love to other men?

5. Kundera writes, whenever a single political movement corners power, we find ourselves in the realm of totalitarian kitsch. What does he mean by the word "totalitarian?"

6. What does the ambassador tell Tereza is the three functions of the secret police?

7. What is "kitsch?"

8. In Part 5, Chapter 12, what incident with one of his lovers, who he always took to his friend's house, causes Tomas to be appalled?

9. In the end, Tereza knows she has reached her goals. What are her goals?

10. All her life Sabina had proclaimed kitsch her enemy. But, Kundera asks, hasn't she in fact been carrying it with her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tereza and Sabina are the closest women in Tomas's life.

1. Compare and contrast the characters of Tereza and Sabina. How are they the same? How are they different?

2. What would have happened if Tomas and Tereza had not married and he would have kept both her and Sabina lovers? Use passages in the book to portray the relevance Sabina had in Tomas's and Tereza's life and whether it would have been beneficial for the couple for Sabina to remain in Tomas's life.

3. Should Tomas have pursued a long term relationship with Sabina rather than with Tereza? Cite passages from the book to show why Tomas may have found a more compatible person in Sabina.

Essay Topic 2

When making decisions, Tereza and Tomas do not really look long term.

1. By retiring into the country, does Tomas and Tereza draw forth their death? Could they have subconsciously wanted to die? If so, what would each of their reasons have been?

2. Had they not died, could they have had a happy relationship? Why or why not?

3. Why didn't Tomas refuse to go to the country? Given the political situation of the country, did Tomas and Tereza have any other option? Overall, would you consider Tereza selfish in her actions? Cite 3 examples.

Essay Topic 3

Sabina and Marie-Claude are two of the coolest characters in this novel.

1. Comapre and contrast the characters of Sabina and Marie-Claude. How are they the same? How are they different?

2. Has Franza chosen a mistress that has similar characteristics to that of his wife? Cite 5 examples of how Franz fails to read through the women he married and his lover.

3. Who has less compassion towards Franz, his wife or Sabina? Cite several examples from the book to support your case.

(see the answer keys)

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