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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. Why does Polo initially rely on symbols to represent people and places?
2. When Khan accuses Polo of lying about the state of his empire, what does Polo say?
3. Where is the city of Valdrada built?
4. At the beginning of Chapter 2, what do Khan's messengers warn of?
5. After Khan sends Polo on many missions, Polo learns:
Short Essay Questions
1. What is the significance of the large metal building located at the center of Fedora?
2. Even though Zobeide, the white city, was made from the dreams of many men of different nationalities, how do strangers see the place?
3. Located 80 miles northwest of Zenobia, what is the city of Euphemia like?
4. How does Khan react to Polo's stories when he's feeling euphoric about his empire?
5. How is Maurilia connected to its past?
6. What do the different models of the city of Fedora show?
7. Khan and Polo each envision model cities. From these models, what are the two men able to deduce?
8. In what way are the people of Chloe connected to each other?
9. What does Polo come to realize about language in Hypatia?
10. What is the significance of the evening breeze that Khan and Polo enjoy while conversing on the steps of the palace?
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
How does Polo reveal the disintegration of Khan's empire through his stories? Explain and support your answer with points from the book.
Essay Topic 2
At first, Polo does not speak Khan's language and therefore uses symbols and gestures to communicate his stories. Later, he learns to speak a language Khan speaks and is able to give the emperor precise descriptions.
1) Analyze how Khan interprets Polo's stories when they are told through symbols and gestures. How much does he comprehend? What is left to his imagination? How does he fill in the blanks?
2) How do Khan's interpretations of the stories change once Polo learns to speak his language? Is any information lost, gained, or transformed? Explain.
3) Analyze the differences in Khan's interpretations when the stories are told through symbols and when they are told through clear spoken language. Which interpretation is closest to the truth Polo is trying to convey? Why?
Essay Topic 3
Which of the two characters, Khan or Polo, has a more realistic understanding of the state of the empire? Which would you say has a more hopeful view of the empire's future? Support your answers with examples from the story.
This section contains 901 words
(approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page)