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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 is Santiago's second suggestion to improve the crystal merchant's business?

2. Who visits Santiago in his dreams?

3. Which of the following does Santiago not have left after his interaction with the boy in Part 2?

4. What fields does Santiago travel with his flock of animals?

5. What language does Santiago learn while working for the merchant in Part 3?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why doesn't Santiago buy a ticket to the Egyptian pyramids?

2. How does Santiago think in Part 2 he can get the money to buy a ticket to Africa?

3. At the beginning of the book, how long has it been since Santiago saw the merchant's daughter?

4. In regard to traveling, what is Santiago's father sure?

5. In Part 1, what does Santiago anticipate explaining to the merchant's daughter?

6. Who are the only people that Santiago's father say are able to travel?

7. How does Santiago earn money from the crystal merchant?

8. How does Santiago spend his time before he falls asleep on the old abandoned church floor?

9. At the beginning of Part 2, why is Santiago annoyed?

10. What does the crystal merchant tell Santiago he is obligated to do as a Muslim?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

As Santiago embarked on his trip with the caravan, the leader told him that disobedience often means death in the desert. Explain what he means by this statement. Provide examples to support your hypothesis; they do not need to be from the text, but certainly can be from it.

Essay Topic 2

Decide which event in this novel was the most critical in your opinion. Support your judgment with specific details from the text.

Essay Topic 3

The book has a subtitle, A Fable about Following Your Dreams. Do you believe this is an appropriate subtitle? Support your answer with your own personal opinion and details from the text.

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