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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 retort does the wayward nun have for the abbess?

2. How does the wayward nun respond to the abbess' reprimand?

3. When Gualtieri finally marries, what does he decide to do?

4. What does Monna Giovanna discover after dinner?

5. With whom does Caterina fall in love?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Monna Giovanna's son becomes seriously ill, what does he tell her might make him better?

2. How does the nun know that the abbess cannot punish her?

3. Why do several nuns come to the Abbess' door in the middle of the night?

4. What is the sad situation with Frederigo, a man of noble birth?

5. On the way home in the rain, what is Rabatta's insulting comment about his friend, Bondone?

6. What is the result of Frederigo's attempts to impress Monna Giovanna?

7. How does Don Gianni di Barolo have his way with the wife of Pietro da Tresanti while Pietro looks on?

8. What does Gualtieri do to assure himself that his wife, Griselda, is a worthy woman?

9. What plan does Caterina devise in order to be with Ricciardo?

10. How does the affair between Caterina and Ricciardo work itself out?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay of at least two typewritten, double spaced pages on the topic, The Absurdity of Applying Double Standards. Using the tale of the abbess who is caught with a man's pants on her head instead of her veil, write about applying double standards. Use both religious and political examples from the modern world as other examples in your essay.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay of at least two typewritten, double spaced pages on the topic, The Story I Most Enjoyed in THE DECAMERON. First summarize the story you liked best and then explain in detail why that particular story caught your fancy. Be sure to mention the literary qualities of the story that made it stand out in your mind.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay of at least two typewritten, double spaced pages on the topic, Why THE DECAMERON Should Be Required Reading. In your essay include the historic value of the book, the impact the book has had on modern novels, and the classic nature of the work. Discuss THE DECAMERON as a means of understanding the period of the Black Death in Europe and the attitude of living for today because tomorrow we may die. Conclude with why you think a reader is enriched by reading this particular work.

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