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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. For what does Ahmad try to hire the woman who comes to his store after the matchmaker?

2. At what time does Amina have to wait up on her husband every night?

3. What kind of store does Yasin pass by on the way to his mother's that brings painful recollections?

4. What is the name of the widowed woman that the matchmaker says wants to become Ahmad's second wife?

5. Who has been standing at her bedroom window for months yearning for a young police officer that walks by?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are the three visitors that come to Ahmad's home described?

2. How is Amina injured on her way home from visiting the al-Husayn shrine?

3. How does Ahmad react when a matchmaker hints that Mme. Nafusa wanted to be his second wife?

4. How are Ahmad's attempts at getting Zubayda to sing at a party described in Chapter 15?

5. How does the family react when Fahmy asks Amina to arrange his marriage to Maryam?

6. How are Kamal's "story hungry" actions described in Chapter 9?

7. What is Kamal doing after leaving school in Chapter 8?

8. Why does Aisha stand alone at her window each morning?

9. How is Yasin's meeting with his mother described in Chapter 18?

10. What does Fahmy do while sitting on a roof with Kamal in Chapter 10?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The concept of marriage is one subject that is discussed by numerous characters throughout the book, each with his/her own ideas of what it represents.

Part 1.) How do characters like Aisha and Khadija feel about the notion of marriage?

Part 2.) What reasons does Ahmad have for not allowing his children to be married when they wish?

Part 3.) What is telling about the nature of marriage in the book based on Yasin's experience?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the author's portrayal of Egyptian society in the book, and note if Ahmad fits into this portrayal or not. What clues can be found to suggest that Ahmad's household rituals are more extreme than the norm in Egypt?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the nature of ritual in Ahmad's home. Why does Ahmad's family agree to perform the daily rituals and chores he demands of them?

(see the answer keys)

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