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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. In "If You Were a Horse," when did the son's mother die?

2. Why does the father want to do what he is thinking of doing in "The Land of Sad Oranges"?

3. In "The Land of Sad Oranges," what do the kids do when the father is set off?

4. What is the orange like at the end of "The Land of Sad Oranges"?

5. Why does Abu Qais feel insignificant?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the narrator's confusion about the father's money infer in "The Land of Sad Oranges"?

2. Why is Abul Khaizarun not married?

3. Why is Abu Qais hopeless?

4. What does a reddish mole predict, according to superstition?

5. In "If You Were a Horse," why does the father wish his son were a horse?

6. How is all the foreshadowing of death fulfilled in the end of "Men in the Sun"?

7. What does the relinquishing of the weapons at Ras Naquora foreshadow?

8. In "If You Were a Horse," why does the father refuse to allow his son to perform his surgery?

9. What is ironic about the conversation Abul Khaizarun has with a man in the customs office?

10. Why did Marwan's father leave Marwan's mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Umm Saad goes through many feelings during the story as she tells her cousin about her son. What emotional turns does Umm Saad take when telling the story to her cousin, and what causes these emotional turns? How does she recover from each turn, and what does she console herself with? Remember to answer each question with evidence from the story.

Essay Topic 2

The themes of courage and cowardice are prominent in "Letter from Gaza." How does cowardice play a role in the story? How does courage play a role in the story? Which display is strongest--the cowardice or the courage, and with whom? Remember to answer each question with specific examples from the story.

Essay Topic 3

There are four main characters in "Men in the Sun," and they all have different backgrounds. Describe each character and their background. What do all the characters have in common? What makes them all different? Remember to answer each question with evidence from the story.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 700 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample