Dreams & Personal Legend
What is the main reason the crystal merchant refuses to go to Mecca?
A) He has no money
B) He is too old
C) He is afraid the dream will disappoint him
D) He does not believe in pilgrimage
C – He fears that realizing the dream will leave him without purpose.
What are Urim and Thummim?
A) Desert cities
B) Books of alchemy
C) Divining stones given by the king
D) Types of crystal
C – They are symbolic stones used for guidance.
The merchant fears expanding his business because:
A) He dislikes tea
B) He cannot hire workers
C) He is used to his current life
D) He distrusts the boy
C – He fears change and uncertainty.
The Englishman is searching for:
A) Sheep
B) The Philosopher’s Stone
C) Mecca
D) Crystal suppliers
B – He seeks the Philosopher’s Stone.
What motivates the boy to keep working at the crystal shop?
A)Desire to double his flock and return proudly
B) Fear of the desert
C) Loyalty to the merchant
D) Desire to stay in Tangier permanently
A– He wants to earn enough money to return with more sheep.
Selling tea in crystal glasses represents:
A) Tradition
B) Innovation inspired by recognizing omens
C) Competition
D) Greed
B – The boy sees opportunity through awareness.
“Every blessing ignored becomes a curse” suggests:
A) Wealth is dangerous
B) Opportunity wasted leads to regret
C) Work is harmful
D) Religion is required
B – Ignored opportunity becomes burden.
Unlike the boy, the Englishman relies mainly on:
A) Instinct
B) Books and study
C) Dreams
D) Trade
B – He depends on academic knowledge.
The phrase “When you want something, all the universe conspires…” suggests:
A) Fate controls everything
B) Luck determines success
C) Kings solve problems
D) Personal commitment activates opportunity
D – It reflects belief in purposeful pursuit aligning circumstances.
The word “Maktub” most closely means:
A) Wealth
B) Destiny is written
C) Courage
D) Fortune favors kings
B
The boy’s decision to join the caravan shows:
A) Impulsiveness
B) Recklessness
C) Renewed courage toward uncertainty
D) Financial desperation
C – He chooses growth over safety.
The Englishman studying Esperanto and religions suggests:
A) Confusion
B) Search for universal truth
C) Cultural arrogance
D) Loneliness
B – He seeks the “one true language” of the universe.
Why does the boy hesitate before returning to Spain? A) He lost his money
B) He fears the merchant’s reaction
C) His dream of the Pyramids feels unfinished
D) He cannot find transport
C – His treasure dream is becoming more important again.
Why is the old king symbolically present in multiple characters?
A) He is secretly following the boy
B) He represents a universal guiding force
C) He owns the shop
D) He is a hallucination
B – He symbolizes the guiding presence of destiny/Personal Legend.
The desert symbolizes:
A) Poverty
B) Death
C) Unknown transformation and testing
D) Punishment
C – The desert is a space of spiritual challenge.
The contrast between the boy and the Englishman highlights:
A) Wealth vs poverty
B) Youth vs age
C) Experience vs theory
D) Faith vs religion
C – The boy learns through action; the Englishman through theory.
Why does the boy hesitate before returning to Spain?
A) He lost his money
B) He fears the merchant’s reaction
C) He cannot find transport
D) His dream of the Pyramids feels unfinished
D – His treasure dream is becoming more important again.
Are omens external signs, or do they reflect the boy’s internal readiness? Use evidence from the text.
Strong responses argue omens work because the boy is attentive and willing to act. The text suggests awareness transforms coincidence into meaning.
Why might achieving a dream be more frightening than never trying?
Use the crystal merchant as an example in your answer.
Fear of losing identity: The merchant defines himself by dreaming of going to Mecca. If he achieves it, he loses that dream and part of who he is.
Fear of emptiness after success: He believes that if he fulfills his dream, he will have nothing left to hope for.
Comfort and safety: He prefers the security of his routine and shop, even if he is unhappy.
Fear of change: Achieving the dream would require him to change his life, and change feels risky.
Which approach leads closer to transformation: lived experience (the boy) or accumulated knowledge (the Englishman)? Defend your reasoning using the text.
Strong responses argue that knowledge without action stagnates, but action without reflection can lack depth. The text favors experiential learning guided by belief.