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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 surprises and confuses Koly on her ride with the benefactor of the widow's home the day after that lady comments on her good embroidery skills?

2. What does Koly do each morning after Chandra is gone?

3. What are some of the things that Koly does after Chandra leaves to try and please Sass?

4. What is true of Sassur after Chandra leaves to get married?

5. Who comes to see Koly the day after she returns to work in chapter 10 after being sick?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain why Sass sells her house.

2. Describe Koly's financial situation in Chapter 8.

3. What happens when Koly cannot find Sass at the temple after taking the 50 rupees to buy lunch?

4. Describe Raji's plans for the future as he describes them to Koly in Chapter 9.

5. What happens on the day that Koly sees the rickshaw driver at the train station, before he brings her to the widow's home?

6. Explain why the benefactor funds the widow's home where Koly stays.

7. Describe the two friends that Koly finds in Chapter 6.

8. Describe the losses Koly attempts to deal with in Chapter 6.

9. Describe Chandra's feelings about her marriage in Chapter 7.

10. Explain why Sassur stops reading the Tagore book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider the impact of good health and illness on the plot line of the story. At what points in the novel does the health of a character result in a major change in the direction of the story? Do any of the characters have choices in the occurrence or in the direction that their lives took at this point? Explain why or why not. Is health or financial status more important to the outcomes of the lives of the characters in this novel? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Ceremonies and rituals are important in Koly's culture.

1) What event in the story has the greatest impact on the plot line? Explain your answer.

2) Describe the rituals surrounding an event in the story. Explain why they are important to the people participating in them.

3) Explain why the temples and shrines served as a backdrop for so much of the story.

Essay Topic 3

The metaphor of Koly as a homeless bird has significance in many places of the story. Choose one of the options below to write about.

1) Analyze the use of animals in the novel to symbolize Koly's plight, to ease her loneliness, and to serve other purposes.

2) Choose two other characters and use a metaphor to describe their situations in the story. Use examples to explain your choices.

3) Describe how Koly's journey towards freedom required her to break out of many cages.

(see the answer keys)

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