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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 color are the gondolas painted?

2. When does the judge finally complain in Twain's story?

3. What cultural customs thrive in Tangier?

4. Who serves as mule attendants?

5. What does Twain love about Tangier?

Short Essay Questions

1. What impresses Twain about St. Peter's?

2. Twain accompanies his group to the Coliseum. As he watches them scrabble for pieces of the huge building, he finds a playbill where a woman invites a man on a secret date. Why is this piece of trash more interesting to Twain than the souvenirs his friends seek?

3. Compare/contrast American and European work ethics, as described by Twain in Chapter 19.

4. Mark Twain chooses to insert some of his well-known humor in his story about the group's capers in Athens. What purpose do you think the humor has in this chapter?

5. Twain's first exposure to another people is when he lands in the Azores Islands. He listens to the people speaking Portuguese and scoffs at the many beggars. What is his first impression of the people of the Azores, and why do you think he feels the way he does about them?

6. Compare/contrast Versailles with Faubourg St. Antoine.

7. Compare/contrast Twain's first opinion of Venice to his opinion after he arrives at the Grand Canal.

8. Twain is a bit contradictory in his opinions of the French. Outline Twain's opinions and theorize why he might feel that way.

9. After their visit to Versailles, the travelers return to find that a "great battle" has taken place on the ship, and they have missed the events. What was the battle about, and who were the participants?

10. The ancient city of Pompeii was buried under an eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Twain imagines what the lives of the people of Pompeii must have been like and wonders whether U.S. history would be correctly reported if something similar occurred in the United States. What do you think prompts Twain to wonder such a thing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the scene between Jack and the turtle. What does this story tell you about Jack's character? Do you think he is gullible or simply not very smart? Why? Why do you think the preacher tells him that story in the first place? Do you think Jack truly believes it? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the tour through Jerusalem. What do you believe were highlights to Twain? What do you believe were lowlights? After the excitement built throughout the trip, do you think he is pleased, sorely disappointed, or somewhere in between? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Twain's attitude toward the beggars, who seem to be everywhere, comes across as that of disdain rather than pity. He is disgusted by them, yet we hear few words of commiseration. What about the time Twain lived in encouraged this type of attitude toward the poor? What does Twain say that illustrates his attitude toward the beggars?

(see the answer keys)

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