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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 does the state official meet in "The Discontented"?

2. Why does the man in "Divorce" leave his wife?

3. Who does Roukia unlock the door for on a nightly basis?

4. When must the sisters fast?

5. What job does Zahra take at the end of Chapter 5?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the two main characters in "The Discontented".

2. Why is Zahra's husband embarrassed by her in Chapter 5?

3. Why does the one sister smile at the end of "Silence"?

4. Describe the main character in "Divorce".

5. Who does not agree with Zahra's choice to move to Casablanca and why?

6. Describe the two sisters in "Silence".

7. What do the husbands discover about visitor at the end of the story?

8. What happens when Roukia is locked in the cellar?

9. Who is the surprise guest in "A Vacation" and how does Roukia react to the visitor?

10. What offer does one man make to the other in "The Discontented" and what is the man's response to the offer?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the genres of fiction and non-fiction. Which genre does this book fall? How does narration cloud the reader's understanding of fiction and non-fiction?

Essay Topic 2

How does the setting effect the reader's experience of the story? Does it matter that the story is set in another country? Describe the setting of the story of you choice and explain how it is intertwined with the plot.

Essay Topic 3

How does Abu Zayd address the theme of independence in his "Year of the Elephant"? Choose two examples of examples of this theme and explain how these examples contribute to the message of the story.

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