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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 do Sass and Sassur argue after the doctor's visit in Chapter 2?

2. Who accompanies Koly to her prospective husband's home?

3. What is Chandra's response when Koly questions her about the widow's pension?

4. What does Koly do when she wakes up at Hari's house the first morning after her wedding?

5. Where does Koly sleep on her wedding night?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Koly's prospective husband and family, and explain why this is considered a good match.

2. Describe Koly's first meetings with her new family.

3. Explain how Koly's marriage is expected to benefit her family.

4. Explain Koly''s reaction to hearing Sass and Sassur discuss the use of her widow's pension.

5. Explain why Hari and his parents are arguing on Koly's second night in her new home.

6. What does Koly do to try to soothe her grief over being a widow and her poor treatment by Sass in Chapter 4?

7. Tell about Koly's first meeting with her new husband.

8. Explain the reaction of Koly's parents to their first meeting with the Mehtas.

9. Explain how Hari and Koly bond in their short first meeting.

10. What is Koly's impression of Varanasi?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hari and Koly are both very young people forced into marriage.

1) What foreshadowing exists in the novel that predicts the outcome of their marriage?

2) How does Hari's existence continue to affect Koly after he is gone?

3) What positive and negative outcomes result from Hari and Koly's marriage?

Essay Topic 2

In this novel, Koly is a part of many traditions, but she also acts in ways that are contrary to traditions of the time and place.

1) How do Koly's actions support a belief that traditions are important? Give at least three examples and justify your answer.

2) How do Koly's actions support a belief that traditions are less important than some other value in her life? Define that value and support your answer.

3) How does Koly's acceptance or rejection of certain traditions help or hurt her in the story? Give at least three examples with evidence.

Essay Topic 3

Despite the obvious poor treatment of women in Koly's society, many strong and even influential women appear in the novel. Answer the questions below with support from the novel.

1) Which woman in the story do you consider the strongest, and why?

2) Which woman in the story has the greatest positive impact on Koly? Negative?

3) Which woman in the story seems the happiest? The saddest?

(see the answer keys)

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