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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. Who does Bimla think of when she hears that Gandhi has been killed?

2. What kind of business did the Misras brothers have and lose?

3. What instrument does Dr. Biswas play?

4. How did Raja meet Hyder Ali?

5. What is Tara's reaction to Bim's behavior regarding the letter?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Bim show the letter from Raja to Tara?

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

3. Describe Bim as an adult woman, including her attitude towards her family members as well as her appearance.

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

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

6. What is Tara's purpose in coming to the family home?

7. Why do you think the children's parents are at the club playing bridge every night?

8. Why does Raja choose Hindu College over his original choice?

9. How does Tara feel about her youth? What makes her feel that way?

10. How does Bim feel about her youth? Why do you think she feels that way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses many symbols in the book to create a sense of place. Describe several of these, including the family pets, the garden path, and the unrest in the city.

Essay Topic 2

Read over the poetry lines used by the author in this novel, which are used as a plot device. What was the purpose of each insertion into the story line? Does it work?

Essay Topic 3

How are the children treated by their parents, and how does this treatment show up in their lives? After a paragraph concerning the treatment of all of the children, choose one of them and write about how the parents' treatment affected that character's attitude towards life, their choices in love, and their professions.

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This section contains 572 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample