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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. Who are the Mujahedeen?

2. According to Zarrin, when is a novel moral?

3. What is a perfectly equipped failure?

4. Whose death is announced in Part 3, Chapter 33?

5. In Part 2, Chapter 12, why does Nafisi decide to cancel class?

Short Essay Questions

1. What kind of man is Mr. Bahri?

2. Why does the magician tell Nafisi she should return to teaching?

3. What does it mean to be complicit in one's own crimes?

4. Why does the magician tell Nafisi to stop blaming the Islamic Republic for all her problems?

5. What does Nafisi do during her time as a member of the Iranian Student Movement?

6. What does Nassrin mean when she talks about the "ordeal of freedom" in Part 4, Chapter 20?

7. What does Nafisi do during her early years as a professor at the University of Tehran?

8. Why does Nafisi describe herself as becoming irrelevant?

9. What is the impact of Iran's war with Iraq?

10. How has Miss Ruhi changed since her introduction in Part 3, Chapter 14?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Section I, Chapter 14, Nafisi quotes Nabokov: "Curiosity is insubordination in its purest form." Write an essay that addresses the following questions about Nabokov's quote: What is the meaning of this quote? Why would curiosity be considered insubordination? What is the role of curiosity in Nafisi's book? Who is described as being curious? How does Nafisi's curiosity impact her students? How does their curiosity demonstrate insubordination?

Essay Topic 2

Nafisi is the narrator for the actions of herself, the regime, and her students throughout the book. What would a credible witness say about the actions of a totalitarian regime? Is Nafisi a credible reporter? Is her credibility complete or does it have obvious biases that challenge her credibility? Does her credibility remain the same throughout the book? What evidence within the book supports your claims?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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