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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 Roxana smell on Yezad when he comes home one evening?

2. What is Yezad's explanation for the extra money?

3. What does Yezad tell Vilas he is troubled about?

4. What is Mr. Kapur's wife's view of public service?

5. What is the plan that Yezad has developed that requires Vilas' help?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Yezad learn when he calls Mr. Kapur to say he will not be in to work because of Coomy's death?

2. As the family leaves Pleasant Villa for the last time, Roxana and Jehangir look out the car window and see the same bird, but each one interprets it differently. How do Roxana and Jehangir see the bird differently?

3. What is significant about the introduction of Daisy Ichamora to Nariman?

4. What impact does Mr. Kapur's decision about running for municipal council have on Yezad?

5. What can we learn about the relationship between Roxana and Yezad when Yezad tells Roxana he lost their money playing Matka?

6. What happens to Yezad's work situation after Kapur's death?

7. In what ways do Jal and Yezad begin to act differently after Coomy and Kapur's deaths?

8. What are some of Yezad's thoughts and actions in Chapter 15 that show he is changing?

9. What excuses do Roxana and Yezad make for Jehangir when his teacher tells them Jehangir has been taking bribes as homework monitor? How is Jehangir punished?

10. What does Yezad ask Vilas to do about the Christmas decorations, and what is Vilas' reaction?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When using the good china for Murad's birthday reminds the family that one of Nariman's beliefs was that people should "take pleasure in the beautiful things to defeat the sadness and sorrow of life." How did Nariman live up to that belief? Did any other characters in the story follow his lead? How is that philosophy revealed throughout the story?

Essay Topic 2

For most of the story, Coomy seems to be the controlling factor among all the characters. Is Coomy truly concerned about her family? Is she materialistic? Nurturing? Selfish? All of the above? Focusing on Coomy's personality and the way she interacts with others, write a character description of Coomy.

Essay Topic 3

The death of Coomy seems to release the family from some of their stiffness or unease with each other. Jal becomes closer to Roxana and her family, and even Nariman seems to become more animated in his interactions with the family. What was it about Coomy that could have such an effect on the family? Was she conscious of what she was doing, or was Coomy totally unaware of the affect she had on those around her? Use incidents from the story to show how she could have acted differently toward her family.

(see the answer keys)

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