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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. In "Town and Country," the countryside man becomes good friends with a:

2. In one of the poems in Chapter 2, Book 2, the girl that a king falls in love with becomes ill, which concerns him greatly. What does he do?

3. Through many of his poems, Rumi communicates that a person can never really know how another:

4. In a poem in Book 2, Chapter 1, after a wise man feeds a poor man, what does he make the poor man do?

5. During his lifetime, Rumi was revered for his attitude of religious tolerance and:

Short Essay Questions

1. In one of the stories, a king falls in love with a girl, but she is not aware that he cares for her. How does he get close to her?

2. Summarize the folklore Coleman Barks refers to when introducing the poems of Book 2, Chapter 2 to the reader.

3. How does the story of the king and the girl he loves end?

4. In one of Rumi's stories, how does a wise man end up helping a poor man by showing "tough love?"

5. Instead of doing battle on the military field, what should a good ruler strive for, according to Rumi?

6. Why does Rumi advise people to let go of scriptures after reading them?

7. What is the primary moral of the "Town and Country" story?

8. What are some of the lessons inherent in the story of the Friend assisting the prisoner through the prayer rug?

9. In one of Rumi's poems, what happens when somebody comes looking for Sheik Kharraqani?

10. What happens to the three brothers who fall in love with a powerful princess?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze what the poet says and infers with regards to ethics. Then, compare and contrast some of his ideas with modern-day ethics thinking. Use examples from his poems to support your observations.

Essay Topic 2

Rumi writes about numerous love triangles. Summarize the stories and lessons associated with the following complicated "triangles:"

1. The case where three brothers fall in love with a Chinese princess.

2. The case where a king falls in love with a girl and her doctor, but the girl is in love with another person.

Essay Topic 3

What important lessons come through in the poem "Town and Country"? Describe the friendship between the two friends in this story. When the tables are turned and the shopkeeper gets to walk in the countryside man's shoes, how are his eyes opened? What does he finally see, after so many years, about the suffering his friend experienced when he first arrived in town?

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