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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 activities can Usbek's wives do in his absence?

2. Who is Rica dining with in letter 66?

3. Who wrote letter 10 to Usbek?

4. What does Usbek order the black eunuch to do?

5. What did the neighbors of the society described in letters 10 to 14 want from them?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Zelis do to her 7 year old daughter in letter 60?

2. What does Rica compare the King of France and the Pope to?

3. What quality does Rica praise in a man according to supplementary letter 7?

4. Why is Pharan complaining in letter 40?

5. What is happening in Usbek's seraglio according to the head eunuch in letter 139?

6. How does Usbek see the resolution of the crisis between Persian and Armenians?

7. Why are the Troglodytes a unique civilization according to Usbek in letters 11 to 14?

8. What boundaries do the laws of a monarchy dictate according to Usbek in letter 91?

9. Why did the Troglodytes' neighbors want to rob them of according to Usbek?

10. Why do women gamble in France according to Usbek?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the Persian Letters, Usbek writes about many contradictions in Christian thought, particularly between how Christians believe chastity and married life are both holy. In an essay, students should give reasoning for the Christian way of thinking, using the book and other sources to refute Usbek's argument.

Essay Topic 2

In the Persian Letters, Usbek emphasizes religious contrasts between Muslims and Christians. Analyze the comparison between being a Muslim and aspects of Christianity, using the text to support your statements.

Essay Topic 3

Usbek discusses divergent effects that laws have on human behavior and how different cultures address diseases of the spirit. Discuss what behaviors may be considered divergent and affect the spirit and how Persian culture may address these differently than western Europeans.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 665 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample