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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 Dina Dalal make at home and store in trunks, which the boys find while she is away?

2. What does Om have on his mind, which causes him to make mistakes while sewing?

3. What has Nawaz been arrested for smuggling?

4. What does Rajaram's job encourage villagers to do?

5. What does Om rent in an attempt to follow Dina Dalal?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Maneck's father, Farokh, treat his soft-drink recipe?

2. What is Ishvar and Om's reaction to the work that they must do in the relocation camp?

3. Why does Om rent a bicycle?

4. What behaviors does Maneck's father begin exhibiting that embarrass his son?

5. When do Om and Ishvar first meet Rajaram?

6. What happens when Rustom goes out to buy ice cream on his third wedding anniversary?

7. How does the relationship between Dina and Rustom progress?

8. How is the village, where the train makes its sudden halt, described?

9. What does Dina teach Maneck to do in Chapter 8, and why?

10. How do Ishvar and Om meet Maneck?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Maneck commits suicide at the end of the novel, his final thought is that he is happy to be holding the chess board. This thought is a bit ambiguous as to whether Maneck is feeling guilt, or if he is overwhelmed with the way that the world has turned out.

Part 1.) Argue what you believe to be the meaning to Maneck's final thoughts.

Part 2.) Argue why you think it was so important to Maneck that he is holding the chess board, especially after he spent years not taking care of it, or missing its presence.

Essay Topic 2

The final chapter of this novel is entitled "The Circle is Complete". Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Choose one of the main characters: either Dina, Maneck, Om, or Ishvar, and explain why their circle is or is not complete. If you are arguing that their circle is not complete, explain what is missing. Be sure to use ample material from the text to support your argument.

Essay Topic 3

Even though many of the characters are living lives of squalor, there is an innate lever of generosity within the communities.

Part 1.) Choose one character that has proven to be a generous character even though they did not have excessive means, and give three examples of their generosity.

Part 2.) Choose one character that has chosen to be stingy even though they had the means to be generous and give three examples of their stinginess.

Part 3.) Explain why you think these characters chose to react to the poverty around them in this manner.

(see the answer keys)

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