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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. Why is Nafisi uncomfortable with Mr. Bahir's action at the end of Part 2, Chapter 6?

2. Why does Nafisi form a friendship with Jeff?

3. What gift does Mrs. Rezvan give Nafisi?

4. What happens to Sanaz when she is on vacation?

5. What project is Nassrin working on?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Nafisi during her discussion with Mr. Bahri about wearing the veil?

2. How are Mr. Ghoni's statements about "Daisy Miller" in Part 3, Chapter 15, similar to Mr. Nyazi's statements in Part 3, Chapters 17 and 18, about "The Great Gatsby"?

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

4. Why does Nafisi call Catherine in "Washington Square" the inverse of our ideas about what a heroine should be?

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

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

7. What are the similarities between Sanaz's experience in jail and the experience of Cincinnatus in "Invitation to a Beheading"? What are the differences between their experiences?

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

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

10. Why does a university staff member describe the Ayatollah's funeral as an event?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nafisi presents several male students as passionate about the values of the Islamist Republic of Iran. In what ways are Mr. Bahri, Mr. Nyazi, and Mr. Ghomi similar? In what ways are they different? Which one of those students is portrayed as being in closest agreement with the regime? What evidence supports your choice?

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

Nafisi opens and closes the book with images and accounts of the students in her secret class. This creates a satisfying conclusion and cyclic treatment in the book. What other examples of cyclic treatment are evident in the book? Choose 2 examples and write an essay illustrating how Nafisi uses cyclic treatment throughout the book.

(see the answer keys)

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