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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 caused Ahmad to become severe with Kamal when he was a child?

2. How does Amina feel after she starts supervising the household from bed?

3. What does Khadija demand a confession of from Aisha in addition to never watching the policeman again?

4. Who accompanies Amina to a mosque in Chapter 27?

5. What does Yasin say he can no longer pretend regarding his mother when he visits Ahmad in Chapter 17?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How is Yasin and Amina's visit to the al-Husayn shrine described?

3. What happens when Amina confesses leaving the house to visit the al-Husayn shrine to Ahmad?

4. How are Ahmad and Mme. Zubayda's interactions described in Chapter 14?

5. How does Ahmad react to Fahmy's request to marry Maryam?

6. How is Amina's mother described when she goes to stay with her during her exile?

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

8. How are Amina's duties on her roof described in Chapter 6?

9. How is Kamal's visit to Maryam in Chapter 21 described?

10. What happens to Amina after her broken collarbone has healed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the nature of the family coffee hour in the book. What is telling of the family's fear of Ahmad based on the openness of their coffee hour discussions?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of education in the book, especially in regards to Kamal. What impact could Fahmy's educating Kamal on his nationalist beliefs have on his own ideals later on?

Essay Topic 3

Early in the book, it becomes clear that there is a pointed difference in the way the men and women of Ahmad's family are treated.

Part 1.) What can we learn about the difference between men and women in Ahmad's household based on the morning rituals of each in his house?

Part 2.) What is telling about the time period of the book based on the treatment of men and women in the book?

Part 3.) What can we learn about the nature of Ahmad's character based on his treatment of men and women in the book?

(see the answer keys)

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