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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. Which of the following animals are to be found in Abdul’s neighborhood?

2. Who founded the party for which Asha works?

3. To which of the following is Karam compared?

4. As which of the following does the text gloss “bukwaas”?

5. Who runs the local orphanage?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Asha attempt to intervene between Zehrunisa and Fatima?

2. Why does Abdul hide in his storage shed?

3. Why do people attend the meeting requested by Asha’s political supervisor?

4. What story does Abdul fabricate about being inside a hotel?

5. For what reason does Asha greet petitioners in a housedress?

6. How does Abdul define good fortune?

7. Why does Sunil scavenge on a ledge above a river?

8. For what reasons do Abdul’s parents favor their selection of a wife for him?

9. Why does Asha balk at her political supervisor’s request for an area meeting?

10. What does Abdul identify as Karam’s major flaw?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Assuming that Behind the Beautiful Forevers should be standard reading for a given class and level, what class and what level? Why that class and why that level? What in the text suggests as much, and how does it do so?

Essay Topic 2

Conversely, given demonstrated efforts toward censorship in a number of countries, what would likely prompt bans of Behind the Beautiful Forevers? By which groups? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Section divisions, their titles, and chapter numbering / division schema are all components of paratext. That is, they are not part of the text but are associated with it closely and affect its meaning. What significance, if any, accrues to the chapter-numbering scheme at work in Behind the Beautiful Forevers? If there is significance, how does that significance manifest? If there is not, what in the book supports the paratextual divisions that are in place?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 595 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample