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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 all of the three younger boarders declare?

2. What helps the group gathering?

3. Who does Mariana evict?

4. Where is Amer Wagdi's old residence?

5. What does Sarhan insist about Zohra?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Hosny move to Miramar and what is his first thought about Zohra?

2. What does Mariana offer Zohra and what does Amer fear about Zohra?

3. How does Hosny feel about old people?

4. Describe Hosny Allam.

5. Who announces Sarhan's death and what is Hosny's reaction?

6. How do Zohra and Amer have a chance to talk and how does Zohra feel about the two older, male boarders?

7. After dropping the woman off at Mazarita, how does Hosny relieve his tension?

8. What do Amer and Mariana complain about and plan?

9. Describe Mansour Bahy.

10. What commotion in the hallway does Hosny respond to, and what does he do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many events that happen in "Miramar" are foreshadowed by previous events and/or signs. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "foreshadow."

2. Why would an author use foreshadowing? Do you think it adds or detracts from your experience as a reader? Explain.

3. Trace and analyze five instances of foreshadowing in the story. Match up what is mentioned earlier and what it foreshadows. Did you guess that each instance of foreshadowing was a "heads up" of something to come? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

Certainly "Miramar" considers the subject of gender. Discuss the following:

1. Define the term "gender."

2. Does gender only refer to whether a person is male or female? Is gender easy to identify?

3. Discuss the Egyptian cultural definitions of gender during the era of "Miramar" and the expectations for each gender. Do any of those expectations exist today?

4. Would you like to live in a culture that has those expectations for men and women that are revealed in the book? Discuss fully with examples from the text.

5. Are women the only ones harmed by gender-based expectations? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Miramar". Consider the following questions as you write: What characters most need to grow as humans? Why? Give examples. Why characters seem to have reached close to their full emotional/mental growth? Why? Give examples What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of mental/emotional illness or immaturity in the book. Which characters struggle with some sort of emotional illness? Why? Which characters seem really healthy emotionally/mentally? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of tradition in "Miramar". What is Amer's view of tradition? Mariana's? Sarhan? Hosny? Zohra? Why is tradition important to some characters? Is anyone willing to abandon traditional viewpoints? Who? What are the positive and negative aspects to tradition?

(see the answer keys)

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