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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. What do his jealous friends call Hussain Kirsha?

2. Was is Radwan Hussainy an unusual landlord?

3. Where does Sheik Darwish live?

4. What keeps Hamida from encouraging Salim Alwan?

5. What does Salim Alwan's company sell?

Short Essay Questions

1. What conflicting emotions does Hamida feel for the stranger who keeps staring at her?

2. When Hussain Kirsha returns home in a sorry state, who does he blame for his troubles?

3. Why does Dr. Booshy dislike Mrs. Afify?

4. When Kirsha's wife comes to the cafe to assail him with his wrongdoing, he blames himself. Why does he think he deserves her wrath?

5. How does Hamida feel about questions of morality?

6. How do Hamida and her friends feel about the Jewish girls that work in Cairo?

7. How does Hamida feel when Ibrahim Faraj begins to woo her?

8. As the story ends, what are the residents of the alley preparing to celebrate?

9. Waiting for the boy with whom he has become acquainted, Kirsha suffers the "bitterness of victory." What is the bitterness of victory?

10. How does Radwan Hussainy feel about boredom?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A protagonist in a story is the character who suffers most and learns most. Is there a single protagonist in this story? If so, who is the protagonist? Use evidence from the text to support your point of view.

Essay Topic 2

A character foil is one whose characteristics provide a contrast to a main character. Is Hussain Kirsha a character foil for Abbas? Why or why not? Compare and contrast the characters of the two young men.

Essay Topic 3

There is often a difference between what a character says and what we are told the character actually thinks. Analyze at least two circumstances in which this is true. Discuss probable reasons why the characters do not speak frankly to one another.

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This section contains 602 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample