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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 is the first disappointing tourist attraction the group visits in Turkey?

2. What are the spinning dancers of a religious healing nature called?

3. Where did Twain see the handkerchief of St. Veronica?

4. Who do the travelers invite onto the ship to teach them the proper way to act when presented to the Emperor?

5. How is the population of Jerusalem described?

Short Essay Questions

1. Twain's caravan stops at a fountain for a rest period on its way to Damascus. What observation does Twain make at this fountain, and how does it make him feel?

2. As the caravan gets closer to Baalbek, Twain begins to tell relevant stories from the Bible. What stories does Twain relate, and how does he feel about the Syrians at this point in the story?

3. Twain and the group have, to this point, been surrounded by foreigners with nothing to gain from the group but their money. Their experience with the Russians is happily different. What happens to make the group feel this way?

4. Though the excursion is now complete, Twain and several of his friends feel that there is something missing. Where do they decide to go and why?

5. Twain and his friends are sure they are going to run into problems finding enough provisions for their trip to Damascus. What happens while their are in Lebanon to change their minds?

6. In Chapter 60, Twain relates a humorous tale of an experience he had on the ship. What is the tale about, and how does it proceed?

7. Because the travelers are not permitted in Greece, they decide to move on to Turkey. What are some of the dubious customs of Turkey, and what does Twain say about those customs when comparing them to those of America?

8. Despite his earlier cynicism, Twain's faith in the locations and objects of Jerusalem seems unshakable, and he even challenges the reader to prove several hypotheses false. What are some examples of this almost blind faith, and what reasoning does Twain give to justify his unwavering belief?

9. After weeks of excitement, a bit of unstructured leisure is welcomed as the group heads home. What are some of the activities offered on board the ship for its guests' entertainment?

10. Mark Twain is eager to oblige the New York Herald's request for a complimentary summary of the excursion . What does Twain do to make the document more readable and user friendly?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Twain and his companions embark on the excursion with a certain set of expectations. Do you think their expectations shift as the trip progresses? How? What would have influenced their changing expectations? Keeping this in mind, compare/contrast Twain's expectations of the journey at the beginning of the story with his expectations once he reaches the Holy Land. Use specific examples to support your theory.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Several members of Twain's group deface ancient ruins and artifacts for souvenirs. Twain even makes a point of telling one member that he is gathering nothing more than old dirt on one occasion. Even that won't deter the man. What are the implications of the defacement? Do you think that this is a moral or state issue? Why? Why do you think Twain includes this in his story? Elaborate.

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