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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 does Hema think about what is yelled at her?

2. Who gives birth to Genea and Almaz?

3. What game do Shiva, Marion and Genet play regularly?

4. What does Shiva take off?

5. What is Ghosh doing as Sister Mary Praise is dying?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Dr. Stone after Mary's death?

2. What does Hema realize about Mary, and what does Stone do when Mary dies?

3. Why does the Emperor call the hospital?

4. What devastates Mary about the boat trip, and what does Dr. Stone ask her when they reach Addis Ababa? What is Mary's response to his question?

5. How does the family receive word about Mebratu's coup and what is the coup like initially?

6. What does Ghosh explain to the man with stomach pain, and what does he realize about the man?

7. What incident shapes Shiva to become the doctor he becomes?

8. What is Ghosh doing while Hema is with Mary and Dr. Stone, and how does he find out about Mary's death?

9. What is Shiva like intellectually?

10. How is Marion responsible for the death of a soldier?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"Cutting for Stone" belongs to fictional memoir genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the fictional memoir genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a fictional memoir and a historical novel mystery?

Essay Topic 2

It is highly symbolic that the blood vessels that once connected Shiva and Marion as one body are the ones to explode, ultimately killing Shiva. After Shiva's death, however, Marion feels like order is restored, that he and Shiva truly are one body again, and he even begins using the word "we" instead of "I" in this first-person narration.

1. Discuss in depth the symbolism of the blood vessels that connected Shiva and Marion killing him. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think Shiva would have undergone the surgery if he had known ahead of time that he would die? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Marion's attitude towards Genet and his thought that he and his twin are one again following Shiva's death may indicate he has some form of delusional thinking. Discuss the possibilities of this statement. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Abraham Verghese.

2. What in Verghese's background may have helped him in writing "Cutting for Stone"? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

(see the answer keys)

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