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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. How does Bim use this old letter from Raja?

2. When Bim and Baba return from Hyder Ali Sahib's house, what has happened?

3. How did Raja meet Hyder Ali?

4. What does Dr.Biswas ask Bim to do?

5. How does Bim recover from grieving for Aunt Mira

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do you think Bim believes she is seeing Aunt Mira's ghost in the garden?

2. Describe Aunt Mira's behavior in this chapter.

3. What are some of the basic differences between Tara and Bim? Examine their appearance, their attitudes, their sense of family.

4. Why does Tara begin to spend time with the Misras sisters?

5. What is symbolic about the father's car that was left in the garage after his death?

6. What resulted from Raja's admiration of Hyder Ali Sahid?

7. Why does Bim begin to respond to Dr. Biswas and his invitations to take her out?

8. Why is Raja so upset about the whereabouts of the family of Hyder Ali Sahid?

9. Describe how Bim sees her brother's poems now.

10. Why is Tara so disturbed by Bim's remarks on the lawn with Bakul and the Misras?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This novel is set over a number of years, but almost always in summer. How does the author use the oppressive heat, the wild noisy birds, and the overgrown foliage to create imagery and the feeling of heavy weight on her characters, their actions and their decisions?

Essay Topic 2

Tara and Bim are sisters, but their personalities are very different. Describe each of the sisters and compare them in the following ways:

1) visions of the future

2) learning and school

3) handling adversity

4) finding love and happiness in their lives

Essay Topic 3

Read the paragraphs following the moment that Tara, Bakul and the girls leave the family home and Bim and Baba are left sitting on the veranda in the light. How the symbolism and theme of the entire novel represented there?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 640 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample