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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. How does Pari plan on returning her ticket money to Faiz?

2. What does Quarter always wear?

3. Why does the spirit that supposedly protects girls and women do so?

4. What does one neighbor say to Jai's parents about the future of the basti because of police involvement in the disappearance of children?

5. What do the police say about Bahadur's disappearance?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Guru help Jai and Pari with in their search for Bahadur?

2. How do children ask for Mental's protection after he dies?

3. What is Runu-Didi's dream and how do others feel about this dream?

4. What does Junction-Ki-Rani reportedly do for young women?

5. What does Guru ask Pari and Jai for that they really do not have, and what does Guru offer in return?

6. Why does Kirpal-Sir send Jai away from school?

7. What is Jai's and his friends' first job as "detectives" and why is this?

8. Who is the first child to disappear from Jai's basti and why do people fail to take it seriously at first?

9. Why is Quarter a figure of power and mystique?

10. What does Omvir's father do and what does Omvir resent about his life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How do Jai, Pari, and Faiz perceive Quarter? What are the sources of Quarter's power and influence? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

How does Jai feel about his one trip on the Purple Line Metro route with Pari, and what does this trip symbolize for him? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Why do you think Anappara chooses to begin this novel with the story of Mental and the supposed ability of his ghost to save children from terrible fates? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 772 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample