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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 Madam Aniema do to the soldier to calm him down?

2. What does the narrator note about the streets outside the apartment?

3. Why do the narrator's parents no longer want her to play with a certain girl?

4. The chief orders the passengers on the bus to not mention the word ________________ on the trip.

5. Who tells this story?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the narrator's father's advice to Selam regarding eating pork?

2. How do the narrator and Selam find a way to communicate with each other when they are not allowed to play together?

3. What is the main point of the story, "What Language is That"?

4. What is the message of the story at the end?

5. How is the story, "What Language is That"? different from the other stories in this book?

6. Why are the passengers on the bus infused with a sense of urgency?

7. What is the core source of all the violence that takes place in the story?

8. Who is Jubril and why must he disguise his religious identity aboard a bus headed out of the city?i

9. What ban by the Nigerian government takes place just prior to the opening of the story, "Luxurious Hearses"?

10. Who is Hadiya and how does she impact the relationship between the narrator and Selam?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the significance of the book's title? What are some other possible titles for the book. List at least five and cite your reasons for each.

Essay Topic 2

Who are two of Akpan's characters in this book who appeal to you the most? What is it about these characters that you like? What are their weaknesses? How about redeeming qualities? Are Akpan's characters believable in your opinion? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Choose three characters from different stories and then project into the future ten years and write a brief synopsis for their lives. Be sure to include geography, marital status, work, socialization, etc.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 890 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample