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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who appears in the doorway as Elena weeps before the Minister?
(a) Ari.
(b) The Prime Minister.
(c) A gunman.
(d) The Minister's wife.

2. What phrase is used to describe the way the Minister believes his household staff will behave once he leaves the house?
(a) Angels in heaven.
(b) Beasts upon carrion.
(c) Flies on excrement.
(d) Animals in a zoo.

3. What does man ask the Minister to do when he first arrives at the municipal building?
(a) Rebuild their city.
(b) Leave them alone.
(c) Help his family.
(d) Take him to Paris.

4. How old is the Minister's youngest daughter?
(a) 25.
(b) 12.
(c) 3.
(d) 17.

5. What does Elena do after repeating "God is so powerful" (2) to the Minister?
(a) She falls to her knees and begs to be saved.
(b) She calls him a coward for leaving.
(c) She quietly bows and walks out of the room.
(d) She sobs into her hands.

6. Why is the Minister unable to get out of the car when Ari stops it outside the municipal building where a crowd has gathered?
(a) The child safety lock is on.
(b) The door is jammed.
(c) A large group of people block the door.
(d) His hand is too weak.

7. How is the Minister's wife described when discussing her first pregnancy?
(a) Tranquil and humorous.
(b) Irritable and contentious.
(c) Difficult and pampered.
(d) Honest and hard working.

8. Why does the Minister ask Ari to stop the car a second time despite having told him he would not do so again?
(a) He sees another crowd of needy people.
(b) He wants to get dinner.
(c) He needs to go to the bathroom.
(d) He needs a cup of coffee.

9. What does the Minister do in the back of the car as he passes the devastation from the storm?
(a) Yell out the window that help is on the way.
(b) Cries quietly into his handkerchief.
(c) Speak incessantly to Ari.
(d) Texts his wife that he is on his way.

10. What does the crowd do when the Minister begins to remove the crates of water from his trunk?
(a) They tell the Minister that is not enough and to bring more.
(b) They organize the crowd so women and children are served first.
(c) They stand in single file waiting their turn.
(d) They knock him down and grab the crates.

11. How long had it been since the Minister had left the house when he leaves with Ari?
(a) 3 days.
(b) 1 month.
(c) 2 weeks.
(d) 6 hours.

12. What does the Minister see "under the wall that had once circled the parade ground" (3) as he and Ari drive past the devastation?
(a) Pairs of bloated, purple feet.
(b) Barely alive people begging for help.
(c) Hands with fingers cut off.
(d) Decapitated heads.

13. What does the Minister appreciate about Elena?
(a) Her simplicity.
(b) Her stern nature.
(c) Her sense of humor.
(d) Her intellect.

14. What "sentence from a previous existence" (2) does the Minister say aloud while alone in his room at the start of the story?
(a) God bless us all.
(b) Peace be with you.
(c) Adios, amigo.
(d) So it goes.

15. What does Ari tell the Minister will happen if they stop the car a second time while on the way to the airport?
(a) Someone will slit his throat.
(b) Someone will steal the car.
(c) The car might run out of gas.
(d) He will walk out and the Minister will be on his own.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the Minister attribute to most of the deaths in the south when he discussing the storm with Elena?

2. Which type of religious person does the Minister say will agonize over what a beggar might do with his money rather than just giving it to him?

3. What is happening when the Minister gets knocked to the ground outside of the church?

4. What does the large group of people outside the municipal building do to indicate their thirst?

5. What does the Minister do "out of habit" (2) when he sees how Elena is suffering?

(see the answer keys)

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