CSS Persian MCQs

This comprehensive set of MCQs on Persian is designed to cover all essential topics required for a thorough understanding of Persian language, literature, and its rich cultural heritage. Focused on key subjects such as Persian grammar, vocabulary, classical and modern Persian literature, poetry, and literary criticism, these MCQs are crafted to help candidates build a strong foundation in the competencies needed for success in competitive examinations like CSS and other government recruitment processes.

Who should practice Persian MCQs?

Students preparing for CSS exams who aim to enhance their performance in the Persian language and literature sections of the examination.
Aspiring linguists, translators, or literature scholars looking to test their knowledge of Persian grammar, syntax, and literary traditions.
Job seekers targeting positions in government sectors, cultural organizations, or media outlets that require proficiency in the Persian language and an understanding of Persian literature and culture.
Individuals preparing for professional certification exams in Persian language, literature, or translation, ensuring they are well-equipped to tackle similar questions.
Anyone interested in improving their knowledge of Persian culture, historical texts, and literary masterpieces.
Candidates focused on developing a strategic approach to tackling diverse question types commonly found in competitive exams related to Persian.

1. What is the primary language of the Avesta texts in Pre-Islamic Persia?

A) Old Persian
B) Middle Persian
C) Pahlavi
D) Avestan

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2. The Old Persian language is mainly associated with which historical period?

A) Sassanid Empire
B) Parthian Empire
C) Achaemenid Empire
D) Safavid Empire

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3. Which of the following is considered the precursor to the Pahlavi language?

A) Avestan
B) Old Persian
C) Sogdian
D) Arabic

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4. Which script was primarily used for writing Old Persian?

A) Pahlavi script
B) Arabic script
C) Cuneiform script
D) Latin script

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5. Which Persian language form was used in the Sassanian Empire?

A) Avestan
B) Old Persian
C) Middle Persian (Pahlavi)
D) New Persian

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6. The primary purpose of the Revivalist movement in the Persian language was to:

A) Revive old forms of poetry
B) Revive the pre-Islamic Persian culture and language
C) Reject foreign loanwords
D) Develop a modern, simplified language

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7. Which period marked the introduction of many Arabic loanwords into the Persian language?

A) Sassanian period
B) Parthian period
C) Post-Islamic period
D) Achaemenid period

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8. The Purist movement in Persian aimed to:

A) Integrate more foreign words
B) Avoid the use of Arabic loanwords
C) Standardize grammar
D) Translate classical texts into Persian

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9. What is a significant feature of the New Persian language?

A) Minimal Arabic influence
B) The use of only Old Persian vocabulary
C) Adaptation of foreign loanwords, especially from Arabic and Turkish
D) Exclusion of dialects

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10. Who is considered the founder of Classical Persian literature during the Samanid period?

A) Ferdowsi
B) Rumi
C) Khayyam
D) Daqiqi

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11. Which period is marked by the golden age of Persian literature under the Samanid dynasty?

A) 6th century AH
B) 9th century AH
C) 10th century AH
D) 4th century AH

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12. Which poet is best known for composing the “Shahnameh,” the epic of Persian kings?

A) Khayyam
B) Hafez
C) Ferdowsi
D) Saadi

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13. The development of Persian prose was significantly influenced by which 10th-century Persian writer?

A) Rumi
B) Ibn Sina (Avicenna)
C) Nizam al-Mulk
D) Omar Khayyam

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14. The Mushrootah movement, which was part of the Persian literary history, was associated with which major event in Persia?

A) The Constitutional Revolution of 1905-1911
B) The Safavid Dynasty
C) The Samanid period
D) The Islamic conquest

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15. Which of the following poets is known for his work in New Poetry (نو شعر)?

A) Hafez
B) Nima Yushij
C) Rumi
D) Saadi

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16. The Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent’s Persian literature flourished under the rule of which empire?

A) The Mughal Empire
B) The Safavid Empire
C) The Ghaznavid Empire
D) The Seljuk Empire

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17. In contemporary Persian literature, fiction writing became especially prominent in which century?

A) 10th century
B) 14th century
C) 19th century
D) 20th century

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18. Persian literature in Tajikistan is heavily influenced by which script?

A) Arabic script
B) Latin script
C) Cyrillic script
D) Pahlavi script

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19. The Persian literary tradition of Ghazal poetry was especially popular during which era?

A) The Samanid period
B) The Safavid period
C) The Seljuk period
D) The Qajar period

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20. What is the main grammatical feature of Persian that distinguishes it from Arabic?

A) The lack of gender in nouns
B) The use of case endings
C) The complex verb conjugations
D) The definite article system

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21. Which of the following is a key difference between the Khurasani and Iraqi styles in classical Persian literature?

A) Khurasani style is more ornate, while Iraqi style is more straightforward
B) Khurasani style uses simpler language
C) Iraqi style is based on Arabic poetry
D) Khurasani style was popular during the Safavid period

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22. In classical Persian literature, the “Iraqi” style is most closely associated with which of the following?

A) Hafez
B) Ferdowsi
C) Saadi
D) Rumi

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23. Which of the following is a characteristic of the Hindi style of Persian poetry?

A) Heavy use of metaphor and symbolism
B) Simplicity and clarity of expression
C) Direct incorporation of Indian themes and ideas
D) The use of classical Arabic references

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24. Persian grammar includes a variety of noun declensions. Which of the following is true about Persian nouns?

A) They are inflected for gender
B) They are inflected for number
C) They do not change based on case
D) They have a complex system of verb conjugations

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25. The Persian language is known for having a relatively simple system of verbs. What is the primary way Persian verbs are conjugated?

A) Through tense markers
B) Through suffixes indicating person and number
C) Through changes in word order
D) Through prefixes and root alterations

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26. In Persian, which of the following is true about the role of adjectives in sentences?

A) Adjectives precede nouns
B) Adjectives follow nouns
C) Adjectives are not used in Persian
D) Adjectives can only be used for proper nouns

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27. Which of the following Persian linguistic features is not common in English?

A) The use of postpositions
B) The absence of articles (like ‘the’ or ‘a’)
C) The use of gender in nouns
D) The use of auxiliary verbs

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28. Persian fiction writing in the 20th century saw a significant shift towards what type of writing?

A) Romanticism
B) Realism
C) Modernism
D) Classical epic poetry

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29. Which Persian poet is best known for his Rubaiyat, a collection of quatrains?

A) Saadi
B) Omar Khayyam
C) Hafez
D) Rumi

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30. The grammatical function of ‘ضمایر’ in Persian refers to:

A) Verbs
B) Nouns
C) Pronouns
D) Adjectives

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31. In Persian, the word “قید” refers to:

A) Nouns
B) Verbs
C) Adjectives
D) Adverbs

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32. In Persian grammar, “حرف” typically refers to:

A) Pronouns
B) Conjunctions and prepositions
C) Adjectives
D) Verbs

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33. Which of the following is a distinctive feature of the Persian “revivalist” style of poetry?

A) Simplification of language
B) Emphasis on classical Persian vocabulary
C) Incorporation of Western themes
D) The exclusion of Persian metaphorical traditions

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34. Which Persian poetic form gained immense popularity during the Safavid period?

A) Ghazal
B) Qasida
C) Rubaiyat
D) Masnavi

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35. In Persian grammar, which of the following is a key feature of “اسم” (noun)?

A) Verbs that describe actions
B) Nouns indicating place, time, or object
C) Words used to link clauses
D) Words describing the manner of an action

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36. Which Persian poet is known for integrating philosophical and mystical themes in his poetry, such as in his famous work “Masnavi”?

A) Hafez
B) Saadi
C) Rumi
D) Khayyam

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37. Which is true about Persian pronouns (ضمایر)?

A) They change according to the case
B) They do not change for gender
C) They are always used before nouns
D) They are only used for third-person subjects

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38. Persian “کلام” (speech) is traditionally divided into how many distinct styles in classical poetry?

A) Two
B) Three
C) Four
D) Five

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39. Who is considered the founder of modern Persian poetry, especially the “New Poetry” (نو شعر)?

A) Hafez
B) Nima Yushij
C) Saadi
D) Rumi

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40. Which of the following is a characteristic of Persian adjectives (صفت)?

A) They always follow the noun they modify
B) They change form based on the subject’s gender
C) They are not used in Persian
D) They do not agree in number with the noun

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41. What is the main reason for the adaptation of loanwords into Persian?

A) To simplify the language
B) To modernize the language and accommodate new concepts
C) To maintain the purity of the language
D) To introduce foreign culture

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42. The influence of which language has been particularly prominent in modern Persian due to its historical and political importance?

A) French
B) Arabic
C) English
D) Turkish

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43. Which classical Persian poet is known for his didactic and moralistic works such as “Golestan” and “Bustan”?

A) Saadi
B) Hafez
C) Khayyam
D) Rumi

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44. The Samanid dynasty played a significant role in Persian literature. What is one of their major contributions?

A) Introduction of the Persian script
B) Establishment of the Persian language as the court language
C) Translation of Greek texts into Persian
D) Patronage of Arabic poets

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45. Which Persian literary movement sought to combine traditional Persian poetic forms with modern themes and subjects?

A) Revivalist movement
B) Purist movement
C) New Poetry (نو شعر)
D) Classicism

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46. The Persian “Masnavi” is a:

A) Collection of lyrical poetry
B) Collection of philosophical writings
C) Long narrative poem
D) Form of prose fiction

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47. In Persian literature, “آثار” typically refers to:

A) Written works
B) Oral traditions
C) Epic stories
D) Poetry collections

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48. In which country is Persian (Farsi) considered one of the official languages alongside Pashto?

A) Tajikistan
B) Afghanistan
C) Pakistan
D) India

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49. What is the term used for the classical Persian poetic form consisting of rhymed couplets?

A) Ghazal
B) Rubaiyat
C) Masnavi
D) Qasida

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50. Which Persian poet is famous for his collection of quatrains called “Rubaiyat”?

A) Rumi
B) Saadi
C) Khayyam
D) Hafez

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51. In Persian grammar, which of the following categories are used to describe action?

A) Nouns
B) Verbs
C) Pronouns
D) Adjectives

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52. In Persian literature, what is the primary difference between “prose” and “poetry”?

A) Prose uses rhyme, while poetry does not
B) Prose is narrative, while poetry is structured with rhyme and meter
C) Prose uses regular grammar, while poetry breaks grammatical rules
D) Poetry is written in classical Persian, while prose is in modern Persian

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53. The term “Khurasani style” in Persian literature is associated with which of the following?

A) Simplicity and brevity
B) An elaborate and ornate style of expression
C) Focus on Islamic themes
D) Emphasis on Persian mysticism

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54. Which Persian poet’s work is best known for its philosophical musings on the nature of existence, such as in “Rubaiyat”?

A) Rumi
B) Khayyam
C) Saadi
D) Hafez

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55. What is the primary feature of the “Iraqi” style in Persian poetry?

A) Complexity of syntax
B) Use of metaphysical themes
C) Simplicity and clarity in expression
D) Heavy reliance on Persian mythological references

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56. Which is the most famous work of Persian poetry written by Saadi?

A) Divan
B) Masnavi
C) Bustan
D) Rubaiyat

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57. What distinguishes Persian “adverbs” (قید) from other parts of speech?

A) They modify nouns
B) They indicate time or place
C) They are conjugated for person
D) They are always placed before verbs

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58. Which of the following Persian poets is known for his mystical poetry and his work “Divan”?

A) Hafez
B) Rumi
C) Saadi
D) Khayyam

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59. Which Persian literary figure is known for his contributions to Persian prose and philosophy, particularly in “The Book of Healing”?

A) Khayyam
B) Ibn Sina (Avicenna)
C) Saadi
D) Rumi

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60. Which of the following is the correct word order in Persian sentences?

A) Subject-Object-Verb
B) Object-Verb-Subject
C) Verb-Subject-Object
D) Subject-Verb-Object

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61. In Persian, the word “حروف” refers to:

A) Verbs
B) Pronouns
C) Conjunctions and prepositions
D) Nouns

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62. Which of the following poets is most associated with the “Masnavi” form of poetry?

A) Hafez
B) Saadi
C) Rumi
D) Khayyam

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63. Which of the following countries speaks a form of Persian known as Dari?

A) Iran
B) Tajikistan
C) Afghanistan
D) Pakistan

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64. Persian “ماضی” tense is used to express:

A) Future actions
B) Ongoing actions
C) Past actions
D) Habitual actions

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65. What is the primary reason for the adaptation of Persian in the Indian subcontinent?

A) Cultural exchange with the Arabs
B) Persian being the language of the Mughal court
C) Influence from ancient Sanskrit
D) Persian being the liturgical language of Islam

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66. The literary works of Nima Yushij played a key role in the development of:

A) Classical Persian poetry
B) New Persian poetry
C) Persian fiction
D) Persian prose

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67. The primary influence of the Purist movement in Persian literature was to:

A) Simplify Persian grammar
B) Eliminate Arabic loanwords from Persian
C) Emphasize the use of Turkish loanwords
D) Increase the use of foreign literature in Persian

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68. Which of the following poets is known for his allegorical work “The Conference of the Birds” (منطق الطیر)?

A) Khayyam
B) Saadi
C) Hafez
D) Attar of Nishapur

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69. What is a defining characteristic of the “Hindi style” of Persian poetry?

A) Focus on classical Persian themes
B) Incorporation of Indian cultural elements and themes
C) Use of strictly formal language
D) Preference for mysticism and metaphysics

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70. What is the “Dari” dialect of Persian spoken in Afghanistan considered in relation to standard Persian?

A) A variant of spoken Persian with regional vocabulary and accents
B) A separate language with no relation to Persian
C) A more modern form of Persian
D) A classical form of Persian used in literature

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71. The Persian language in Tajikistan is primarily written in which script?

A) Latin
B) Arabic
C) Cyrillic
D) Persian script

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72. The primary difference between “Old Persian” and “Middle Persian” is in:

A) The use of verb conjugations
B) The script used for writing
C) The introduction of Arabic vocabulary
D) The grammatical structure of sentences

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73. The use of Persian in the Indian subcontinent reached its peak during the reign of which dynasty?

A) Mughal Dynasty
B) Gupta Dynasty
C) Maurya Dynasty
D) Delhi Sultanate

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74. Which famous Persian poet is known for his “Divan of Hafez,” a collection of lyrical poems?

A) Saadi
B) Hafez
C) Khayyam
D) Rumi

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75. Which grammatical element in Persian is used to show possession?

A) The definite article
B) The ezafe construction
C) The accusative case
D) The preposition “be”

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76. Which famous Persian work by Ferdowsi narrates the history of the kings of Persia?

A) Masnavi
B) Shahnameh
C) Bustan
D) Golestan

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77. Which of the following poets is associated with the mystical and philosophical tradition in Persian literature?

A) Rumi
B) Saadi
C) Khayyam
D) Hafez

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78. What is the primary grammatical function of the word “ضمیر” in Persian?

A) To modify nouns
B) To replace nouns (pronouns)
C) To express tense
D) To describe actions

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79. In the context of Persian literature, what is meant by “کلام” (speech)?

A) A formal speech given by a king
B) A written dialogue in poetry
C) A literary form that refers to all speech, including prose and poetry
D) A monologue by a poet

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80. Which of the following is NOT a common feature of classical Persian poetry?

A) Use of meter and rhyme
B) Frequent allusions to Persian mythology
C) The use of a direct and straightforward narrative style
D) The inclusion of moral and philosophical lessons

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81. The most important poet of the Safavid period known for his lyric and mystical poetry is:

A) Khayyam
B) Hafez
C) Saadi
D) Rumi

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82. Which of the following terms refers to the use of Persian in the Indian subcontinent as a language of court and culture?

A) Hindi
B) Urdu
C) Persian
D) Sanskrit

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83. Which Persian poet is associated with the creation of the “Divan of Saadi”?

A) Khayyam
B) Saadi
C) Hafez
D) Ferdowsi

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84. Which of the following words is a Persian adverb used to indicate frequency or repetition?

A) همیشه (always)
B) زیبایی (beauty)
C) کتاب (book)
D) سر (head)

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85. In Persian, the “ماضی نقلی” tense is used to express:

A) Actions in the future
B) Actions that have just been completed
C) Ongoing actions in the present
D) Hypothetical actions

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86. In Persian, what is the primary use of “حرف اضافه” (prepositions)?

A) To link clauses and sentences
B) To indicate direction, place, or time
C) To form compound verbs
D) To modify nouns

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87. Which of the following is a characteristic feature of Persian New Poetry (نو شعر)?

A) It strictly follows traditional forms of rhyme and meter
B) It emphasizes free verse and modern themes
C) It avoids using metaphor and allegory
D) It was first developed in the 15th century

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88. The “Purist” movement in Persian literature, especially during the 19th century, emphasized:

A) The introduction of more Arabic loanwords
B) The modernization of Persian grammar
C) The rejection of foreign influences and preservation of pure Persian
D) The adoption of foreign literary traditions

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89. The Persian word “واژه” refers to:

A) A verb
B) A noun
C) A word
D) A sentence

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90. In the context of Persian grammar, “قید” modifies which part of speech?

A) Noun
B) Verb
C) Adjective
D) Pronoun

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91. The Persian poetic form “قصیده” (Qasida) is most commonly associated with:

A) Romantic themes
B) Praises of a ruler or a person of power
C) Mystical themes
D) Humor and satire

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92. Which of the following is the term used for a Persian grammatical structure indicating a possessive relationship, similar to the English “‘s”?

A) Ezafe
B) Noun case
C) Preposition
D) Pronoun

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93. The major purpose of “نو شعر” (New Poetry) in the 20th century Persian literary scene was to:

A) Revive ancient Persian poetry
B) Introduce modern ideas and free verse poetry
C) Promote Persian language purity
D) Reaffirm traditional literary forms

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94. Which of the following Persian poets is known for his contributions to both poetry and philosophy?

A) Hafez
B) Saadi
C) Khayyam
D) Rumi

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95. Which of the following poets is most closely associated with the idea of “mystical love” in Persian poetry?

A) Hafez
B) Saadi
C) Rumi
D) Khayyam

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96. Persian literature in the 20th century saw a significant shift toward:

A) A return to classical forms and themes
B) The adaptation of Western literary techniques and ideas
C) A focus on epic poetry
D) The exclusion of foreign influence

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97. In Persian, which of the following is a common way to form a question?

A) By changing word order and using rising intonation
B) By adding a question mark at the end of the sentence
C) By using the word “خب”
D) By using auxiliary verbs only

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98. The Persian word “آغاز” means:

A) End
B) Beginning
C) Middle
D) Transition

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99. What is the primary grammatical function of “حروف ربط” (conjunctions) in Persian?

A) To modify nouns
B) To connect words, phrases, or clauses
C) To express a tense
D) To indicate location or direction

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100. Which of the following is a significant feature of classical Persian prose?

A) Use of complex sentence structures and ornate descriptions
B) Strictly limited vocabulary
C) Exclusively focused on historical events
D) Focus on everyday topics and simplicity

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101. Which of the following is a modern trend in Persian fiction writing?

A) A return to historical themes and ancient mythology
B) The incorporation of elements from Western literary traditions and forms
C) A focus on rural life and simple narratives
D) The complete abandonment of poetry

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