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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. The text glosses the word “chaukanna” as which of the following?

2. As what is Ahsa’s brother-in-law employed?

3. What do Manju and Meena cook for Asha’s political supervisor’s meeting?

4. Which of the following does Mirchi imitate?

5. What burn cream is recommended to Fatima?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Zehrunisa worry about her fifth son?

2. How does Fatima perceive herself as increased after her self-immolation?

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

4. Why does Abdul dislike sorting polyurethane bags?

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

6. What does Asha mean when she tells a petitioner to go to a temple and pray?

7. Why had Sunil refused to beg for money at the local orphanage?

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

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

10. Per the text, why had families encouraged widows to self-immolate on their husbands’ pyres?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Given their circumstances, how do the participants in the events of the book avoid despair? What does their success at doing so offer readers far removed from those circumstances?

Essay Topic 2

Similarly, the lengths of chapters influence reading. What pattern of chapter-length is present in the book, if any? What effect does the length of chapters have on the reading? How is the effect achieved?

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 573 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample