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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does the head cook compliment Karl on?
(a) His English.
(b) His discretion.
(c) His physique.
(d) His manners.

2. On the night that Robinson comes to the hotel, where is Rennel?
(a) Working at his lift.
(b) In a bar in Ramses.
(c) With Delamarche.
(d) In the dormitory.

3. What information do Karl's first remarks to Delamarche and Robinson unintentionally give away?
(a) He is sociable and genuinely interested in other people.
(b) He is naive and may have resources they can take advantage of.
(c) He is polite and easy-going and will be no trouble to share a room with.
(d) He is a recent German immigrant with few prospects in life.

4. After whom is the fictional town of Ramses named?
(a) A German prince.
(b) A Dutch pirate.
(c) An Egyptian pharaoh.
(d) An Arabic mathematician.

5. Why is the landlady so reluctant to give Karl and Robinson breakfast to take back to the apartment?
(a) It is late afternoon when they come to ask for it.
(b) She is concerned they will spill the tray in the corridor.
(c) Brunelda has not paid her rent for several months.
(d) Delamarche is frequently critical of her food.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do Robinson and Delamarche convince Karl to do with his good suit?

2. What compliment does Karl offer Therese about her job?

3. What does Karl do on his weekly day off?

4. How did one of Brunelda's former servants lose his front tooth?

5. What do Karl's thoughts as he prepares to open his trunk for the first time in two months reveal about him?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Karl learn from Robinson about Brunelda's marriage?

2. Describe Robinson's appearance at the Occidental Hotel in Chapter VI, "The Robinson Affair."

3. How does the head cook try to soften the blow of Karl's dismissal?

4. What annoys Karl about finding the salami in his trunk in Chapter IV, "The March to Ramses," and what is the salami's eventual fate?

5. What other locations is the description of the suburban Ramses apartment building meant to evoke, and what is the similarity between these locations?

6. What do Karl's actions while he is fetching and serving breakfast demonstrate about his character?

7. How does Karl meet Robinson and Delamarche?

8. What does Karl's first sight of Giacomo imply about working conditions in America?

9. How does Karl end up having a conversation with Therese in his room on his first night at the Occidental Hotel?

10. How does Therese's backstory support the idea that life for immigrants in America is difficult and somewhat dependent on sheer luck?

(see the answer keys)

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