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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. The stone man was known as ___________.

2. How many starving brothers did Joesph have leave their home to come and stand in his presence and beg for help?

3. Why was the slave who was given a splendid robe hung?

4. What did the hoopoe say must be empty for the heart to purify itself in the Valley of the Quest?

5. What did everyone refuse to do to Ahmad Hanbal?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did the hoopoe tell the birds to expect in the Valley of Love?

2. What was the definition of justice that the hoopoe gave to the birds?

3. What did the hoopoe say in regard to the length of the quest to see the Simorgh?

4. What must one do to find God in the Valley of the Quest?

5. What did the lover of the man who slept all the time write on the note that she attached to his sleeve?

6. Why did the slave not complain about the apple that his king gave to him?

7. According to the story "The Lover Who Wanted to Kill his Beloved," what must one do to be pious and reach the Lord?

8. What did Mahna's shiekh tell the old woman about how to pray?

9. Why did the hoopoe not have an exact length of the quest for the birds?

10. How did the bird who claimed that he had bad luck substantiate his claim that he could not go on the quest with the hoopoe?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Attar mixes religious icons with historically important and known figures. Discuss the importance of this mixture. What did Attar hope to gain by this? Did it deepen the acceptance/understanding of the text? Why/Why not?

Essay Topic 2

Given that the book was written in Persia during the twelfth century, how successful is it in relating to current issues that people face today? Does Attar's book pass the test of time? Why/Why not? Is the book as relevant today as it was during the twelfth century? What did you find to be lost in translation?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the actual conference of the birds. What was the purpose of the conference? What did the birds learn about the journey that they were to go on? Why does this journey parallel one that can be seen in anyone's life?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 840 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample