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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 does Ahmad invent in order not to admit that Yasin disobeys him?

2. What does Fahmy do after the first martyrs fall to English bullets?

3. Who chaperones Kamal to and from school during the revolution?

4. How does Ahmad describe himself that makes him unwilling to allow the women of his house outdoors?

5. Who visits Ahmad's store and is flirtatious in Chapter 51?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Kamal tell Ahmad that he wants Amina back in their house?

2. How is Umm Maryam's visit to Ahmad's store described in Chapter 35?

3. How is Kamal's life affected by the revolution according to Chapter 55?

4. How is Amina's homecoming described after Ahmad sends her a pardon to return?

5. How does Kamal act towards the British troops in Chapter 64?

6. What is the nature of Ahmad's reprimands towards Yasin in Chapter 58?

7. What occurs when Ahmad and his sons attend the Friday prayer service in Chapter 61?

8. How does Fahmy react when the first martyrs start dying in the revolution?

9. What does Ahmad tell Khadija just before she is married?

10. How does Ahmad participate in politics according to his actions in Chapter 49?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the impact the revolution in Cairo had on the book's characters, namely Kamal and Fahmy. How were Fahmy and Kamal on two sides of the spectrum in terms of the revolution's impact on their lives?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the author's portrayal of domesticity in the female characters of Ahmad's household. What is telling of the changes in culture based on Amina and Khadija's differing views on domesticity?

Essay Topic 3

Early in the book, it becomes clear that there is a pointed difference in the way the men and women of Ahmad's family are treated.

Part 1.) What can we learn about the difference between men and women in Ahmad's household based on the morning rituals of each in his house?

Part 2.) What is telling about the time period of the book based on the treatment of men and women in the book?

Part 3.) What can we learn about the nature of Ahmad's character based on his treatment of men and women in the book?

(see the answer keys)

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