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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 happens to Kip in the garden at the villa?

2. Why did the English patient refer to Katharine as his wife?

3. What does Kip admire about the English patient?

4. What does Kip do under bright lights after Lord Suffolk dies?

5. Who does Kip threaten to kill near the end of the novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the symbol of the Western religious icon brought into Chapter 10?

2. Why is Kip extremely upset in Chapter 10?

3. What do you think it would be like to be Geoffrey Clifton in this story? Why?

4. Why do you think Caravaggio is so eager to disprove the English patient's identity?

5. Describe the hiding game that Hana and Kip play in the dark.

6. Explain the reasoning behind Caravaggio wanting to drug the English patient.

7. What is Kip's relationship with Lord Suffolk like?

8. How are Caravaggio and the English patient similar in their motivation for love in this chapter?

9. How does Hana resolve the issue of her father's death?

10. Why would the English patient need to be particularly careful around Geoffrey Clifton? What was significant about his character?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The concept of companionship is present throughout this novel. What can readers learn about Ondaatje's characters in relation to others? Be sure to give specific examples.

Essay Topic 2

Identify the climax of this story and the series of events leading up to the climax. How did characters respond to the climax? What did Ondaatje include in his story to insure that the climax would be as powerful and meaningful as possible?

Essay Topic 3

What do you think is the main theme of Onjaatje's novel? Identify at least three events in "The English Patient" that communicate this theme.

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