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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. Where does Yasin go to after he is shocked to see an old man from his youth in Chapter 12?

2. What is Maryam's family name?

3. What does Kamal envy about Yasin at the end of Chapter 9?

4. What is Yasin's mother's name?

5. How old is Ahmad in Chapter 14 of the book?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are the three visitors that come to Ahmad's home described?

2. What happens when Amina confesses leaving the house to visit the al-Husayn shrine to Ahmad?

3. How does Ahmad react to Fahmy's request to marry Maryam?

4. How is Kamal's visit to Maryam in Chapter 21 described?

5. How does Ahmad react when a matchmaker hints that Mme. Nafusa wanted to be his second wife?

6. How does Ahmad react to Shaykh Mutawalli's claim that he is an adulterer in Chapter 7?

7. How is Amina injured on her way home from visiting the al-Husayn shrine?

8. How is Aisha's beauty regimine described in the book?

9. How are Kamal's "story hungry" actions described in Chapter 9?

10. What is Kamal doing after leaving school in Chapter 8?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Ahmad's dual personalities with his family and outside in public. How is the reader able to know Ahmad's true nature based on the secret fantasies he has about others in public?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the portrayal of martyrdom in the book, focusing on Fahmy's journey of becoming a martyr and the obstacles he overcame. What is the country's true feelings towards martyrs based on the nature of Fahmy's burial in the book?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the author's portrayal of Egyptian society in the book, and note if Ahmad fits into this portrayal or not. What clues can be found to suggest that Ahmad's household rituals are more extreme than the norm in Egypt?

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