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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Why did Nabokov say that every great novel is a fairy tale?
(a) All novels are stories with imaginary characters like fairy tales.
(b) Even though fairy tales have monsters, good ultimately wins over evil.
(c) Fairy tales and novels both demonstrate the beauty of the natural world.
(d) Because all good novelists begin to write after reading fairy tales.

2. Who is Negar?
(a) Nafisi's sister.
(b) Nafisi's daughter.
(c) Nafisi's mother.
(d) One of Nafisi's students.

3. Why are Manna's friends reprimanded by guards?
(a) Because they were not wearing their veils.
(b) Because they were walking on the street.
(c) Because they were wearing makeup.
(d) Because they were biting apples too seductively.

4. Who demands entry into Nafisi's house?
(a) The ayatollahs.
(b) Nafisi's children.
(c) Students from Nafisi's study group.
(d) Members of the Revolutionary Committee.

5. Why does Nafisi see a parallel between Humbert and contemporary Iranian society?
(a) Because members of Iranian society would act like Humbert if they were permitted to do so.
(b) Because the ayatollahs also blame others and hide the truth.
(c) Because Humbert and the ayatollahs share similar views about sex.
(d) Because Humbert's actions would be prohibited in Iranian society.

6. How does Nafisi structure the first class sessions?
(a) Like a lecture class, with the students taking notes on Nafisi's lectures.
(b) Like a traditional literature class, with Nafisi asking questions and leading discussions.
(c) With the students leading discussion and choosing what to read.
(d) With students reading "revolutionary" authors and discussing the parallels to contemporary society.

7. Where are Nafisi's children when Chapter 19 begins?
(a) At a restaurant.
(b) Washington.
(c) Tehran.
(d) Jail.

8. In Chapter 15, how does the study group define a villain?
(a) One who lacks curiosity about other people, being only interested in his/her vision of other people.
(b) One who bows to authority figures.
(c) One who molests a child.
(d) One who knowingly challenges the religious culture of the ruling party.

9. What is the main reason for Nafisi's resignation from the University of Tehran?
(a) The governance of the University is arbitrary.
(b) The University of Tehran is too liberal.
(c) She wants to teach literature to smaller groups in private.
(d) She isn't able to do the type of scholarship the government required.

10. What happens to the everyday lives of Nafisi and her students as a result of the secret class?
(a) Their everyday lives become less tolerable.
(b) Their everyday lives are untouched by the secret class.
(c) Their everyday lives begin to invade the study group meetings.
(d) Their everyday lives take on the quality of fiction and make-believe.

11. How does Nafisi's acquaintance describe her students?
(a) As "pretty women."
(b) As "nice girls."
(c) As "good students."
(d) As "fine people."

12. What is the first assignment for the students in the study group?
(a) To remember what Nafisi taught in her university classes.
(b) To relax and enjoy reading.
(c) To analyze the types of women found in a piece of literature.
(d) To create a secret language using invented words.

13. Where does Nafisi write her class notes?
(a) Big diaries.
(b) Pocket calendars.
(c) Lined paper tablets.
(d) Small scraps of paper.

14. At the beginning of Chapter 16, what are Nafisi and her male acquaintance discussing?
(a) The types of literature that should be discussed in a private study group.
(b) What happened when the University of Tehran was closed.
(c) Where to find food and books in Tehran.
(d) How life in the Islamic Republic has turned everyday activities into exciting secret missions.

15. Why is Mashid jailed?
(a) Because she tells her parents she was translating Islamic texts into English.
(b) Because she is associated with a dissident organization.
(c) Because people find out she was studying literature.
(d) Because she steals flowers.

Short Answer Questions

1. How do the students get enough copies of "Lolita" to study?

2. How does Nafisi refer to her male acquaintance?

3. What becomes part of the "landscape" of Nafisi's class?

4. Why does Nafisi's apartment lack matching furniture and fancy window dressings?

5. What is Nafisi doing at the beginning of Chapter 11?

(see the answer keys)

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