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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 Marion realize about Shiva's medical future?

2. Why does the pilot do a stunt when Hema is flying with him?

3. Of what does the man who turns up in Ghosh's office complain?

4. What does Dr. Stone do when he his well enough?

5. Who is Zemui?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Dr. Stone is close to death?

2. What does Marion remember about being a toddler?

3. How does Dr. Stone find out Mary is pregnant?

4. How does Hema feel about the twins after she takes them in, and why does she call Ghosh for help?

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

6. What confuses Hema for a moment about Gebrew's message?

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

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

9. Why are Sister Mary and Anjali on a boat,and what happens to some of the people on the boat?

10. What is Marion's first exposure to violence against a person?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:

1. Fully explain why you think "Cutting for Stone" is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?

2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.

3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.

4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?

Essay Topic 2

Stone shows up at Marion's door. He is clearly distraught and uncomfortable, but this is nothing compared to Marion's overwhelming feelings of anger and abandonment. Stone awkwardly tries to make conversation with Marion, who wants nothing more than to make his father suffer. In an unexpected attempt to explain himself to his son, Stone tells Marion his life story. Throughout his life, Thomas battled with anxiety, depression, and alcoholism, although he is a brilliant surgeon. Many years after his mother died, he met Sister Mary Praise, and fell desperately in love with her, although he didn't know it until it was too late. And then she died at Stone's hand, and he fled from Africa, overwhelmed with grief and guilt. He has found it impossible to cope with his emotions, to process the devastation he had inflicted in his own life, which is why he had never returned to claim his children.

1. Why do you think Marion feels such anger and feels abandoned by his father? Do you think his feelings are justified? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

2. Do you think Thomas Stone's explanation to Marion is reasonable? Do you think it justifies his behavior? Why or why not? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

3. Thomas Stone has admitted to being an alcoholic. How do you think his alcoholism relates to his inability to cope with his emotions? Why or why not? 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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