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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. Why does Ghosh perform surgery on Mebratu?

2. From where does Sister Mary Praise leave for Africa?

3. What does Hema realize about Mary?

4. How do they know Shiva is bright?

5. What does Shiva do for Zemui?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mary end up at Missing Hospital?

2. What does Hema do about Shiva not talking, what angers Marion and what does he yell at her?

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

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

5. What do the students do at the beginning of the coup, and how successful are they?

6. What happens the moment Hema arrives back at Missing?

7. 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?

8. By the time the twins are six how are they known, and what do they realize about Shiva?

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

10. What does Hema do with Mary, and what does she find out is the problem?

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

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and sometimes it is the other way around. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think "Cutting for Stone" is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

There are a number of interesting questions raised by "Cutting for Stone", questions that Verghese most likely want readers to consider and think through carefully. Discuss the following:

1. What does the term "author agenda" mean?

2. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Verghese' agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Verghese' probable agenda concerning that idea.

2. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

3. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

4. Research the life of Verghese and see if/where his life may have influenced his writing.

(see the answer keys)

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