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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 have the Misras sisters become?

2. What has happened to the Misras sisters' husbands?

3. What does Bim say about rich, fat and successful people?

4. What is one of the most memorable actions she takes against Tara?

5. What did the boys say Tara looked like when her hair was cut off?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the word games the children played to pass the time.

2. Why is the episode with the cow so important to this novel?

3. Describe the relationship between Bim and Raja.

4. Why does Bim take out her rage on Baba?

5. What is symbolic about Tara holding Bim's hand on the day of their departure?

6. On page 115, the children ask Mira why their parents play cards, and Mira thinks the answer is obvious. What do you think is the reason?

7. How does Tara see their childhood?

8. Describe Bim as Tara sees her in this chapter.

9. Describe Aunt Mira as she is in this chapter

10. How does Bim see their childhood?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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 3

One evening along the Jumna River, the children encounter Hyder Ali Sahib on a horse. It affects each of them differently. Describe how the event was experienced by 1) Raja, 2) Baba, 3) Bim and 4) Tara.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 547 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample