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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 object becomes popular in Iran?

2. Who was Nafisi's father?

3. How does Nafisi's male acquaintance think he can tell a person's character?

4. What are the biggest threats to an idealized vision of an individual or a country?

5. How do the Iranian authorities view the country's past?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the significance of the green gate Nafisi mentions in Chapter 9?

2. What does the magician do with the photographs Nafisi shows him?

3. How does the Iranian regime expect women to behave on the streets of Tehran?

4. Why does Nafisi believe the scene where Humbert picked up Lolita at summer camp is the heart of Nabokov's novel?

5. Why do Mitra and the other students find the Thursday study group to be significant?

6. Why does Nafisi agree with Nabokov's statement that every great novel is a fairy tale?

7. How is Professor X's method of teaching literature different than Nafisi's method of teaching literature?

8. What is the relationship between the imaginary rain shower and the meeting of Nafisi's class?

9. Why does Nafisi include Part 1, Chapter 12 in her memoir?

10. Why does Nafisi refer to two photographs in the first chapter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In "Reading Lolita in Tehran," the novels and their authors take on the role of characters, contributing to the storyline, advancing the plot, and interacting with the other characters (Nafisi and her students). Choose one of the major novels ("Lolita," "The Great Gatsby") or one of the major authors (James, Austen) and describe how Nafisi treats the book or writer as a character in the memoir.

Essay Topic 2

In Part 3, Chapter 18, Nafisi describes a "perfectly equipped failure." In Part 3, Chapter 26, Nafisi provides characteristics of a traditional heroine. Using the descriptions and characteristics provided in these chapters, write an essay that addresses the following questions:

1) Would Laleh be considered a heroine or a perfectly equipped failure?

2) Would Razieh be considered a heroine or a perfectly equipped failure?

3) Which does Nafisi consider more worthy of admiration, a heroine or a perfectly equipped failure?

Essay Topic 3

America is presented as both reality and symbol, as a concept and a country. Describe the various ways America is interpreted and understood by those in Nafisi's classes and the Iranian government. How do those interpretations compare to Nafisi's personal memories and descriptions of America? What elements of America are emphasized? What elements of America are omitted? Why are there omissions?

(see the answer keys)

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