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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. Rumi realizes that in all of his searching, he has actually been waiting to be _________ as opposed to brought inside.

2. Rumi challenges us to "work in the ______ world as hard as we do in the visible" and to "be a companion with the prophets."

3. Rumi lived most of his life in ______ Turkey which at the time was a great meeting place for many different cultures.

4. Love is more than an old study of _________, according to the writing of Rumi in this section.

5. The Egyptian woman that is in love with Joseph is known as _______, clings to his shirt and tears it from his back.

Short Essay Questions

1. To what does Rumi compare human beings who do not explore their own spirituality?

2. What will happen after the traveler's legs become tired during the journey?

3. How does breathing help to calm a person, according to Barks' thoughts at the beginning of the section?

4. Who does Rumi say will not be able to wake to the truth, according to the writings of Rumi?

5. What is the story of Ramahrishna that Rumi tells at the start of this section of the book?

6. What does Rumi do when he is so impressed with the depth of the knowledge of Shams?

7. What do Barks and Rumi have to say about the rhythms and the way that a person breathes in their life?

8. What are some of the ways a person will be able to bring themselves into the present moment, according to Barks?

9. What does Zuleikha, an Egyptian woman in love with Joseph, do with the shirt that Joseph wears in the story?

10. What does Rumi say has happened since he has been knocking on a door?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Rumi tells the reader they must work as hard in the spiritual world as they do in the material world.

Part 1: Why do you think Rumi feels the spiritual world is so important in the life of the reader?

Part 2: How can one work as hard in the spiritual world as they do in the physical world?

Part 3: Do you think that you are working as hard in the spiritual world as you do in the material world?

Essay Topic 2

The story of Shams and Rumi is one which plays out from one page to the next in this book, a story of friendship and the sharing of knowledge.

Part 1: Why do you think Shams and Rumi got along as well as they did?

Part 2: Why do you think Rumi still felt the need to be competitive with Shams?

Part 3: Do you think all relationships are competitive on some level? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Rumi refers to God as a human being in the first section of his writing, which might seem to be a strange concept to many readers.

Part 1: Why do you think that Rumi decided that God was a human being?

Part 2: Do you agree that God should be compared to a human being, with all of their flaws and failings?

Part 3: How do you think Rumi should address the idea of God? Is there another way which would work better?

(see the answer keys)

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