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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. Who is one of the first refugees the unnamed writer interviews in Beirut in Part IV?

2. Where was a famous burial site in Iraq Mina references in Part IV?

3. What eventually destroys the writer's father's dream house?

4. What kind of shipping container does Mina meet patients in in Part IV?

5. What happens to Morty in the chapter titled "A Terrorist by Any Other Name is Still a Terrorist"?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Part IV, what does Mina realize about the economic situations of the refugees she sees in the camps?

2. Why does Sammy tell the journalists they finally left Syria?

3. How did Rasheed help two Iraqi gay men get settled in Europe?

4. How does Mina's and Mazen's blood pact work?

5. Who is Sumaiya most worried about in her family for after she dies?

6. How did Mazen first begin reestablishing contact with Mina after some years of estrangement?

7. What destroys the writer's family home in Lebanon eventually?

8. Why does Mazen get so mad at the western journalists' questioning of Sammy and Samaiya?

9. What does the scent of cardamom mean to Mina and the writer?

10. What particular topic does Mina remember Francine having written about in 2009?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What do you think Alameddine is trying to communicate to the reader with the unnamed writer's panic in hiding in his hotel room for much of his time on Lesbos? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

What does Mina's affection for Pete Jones, and for his personal life story, decisions, and journey, tell the reader about the human search for meaning and purpose in an unforgiving and brutal landscape? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Alameddine explores a range of strong emotions at a fever pitch throughout the novel - fear, anger, frustration, sadness, and even joy. Write an essay analyzing Alameddine's tone at different points throughout the novel, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

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