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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. When Amma gets Belinda to dance, Amma mentally remarks that which part of her body feels wider?

2. How many layers is Belinda wearing on the day when Amma makes fun of Belinda's amount of clothing?

3. What action does one of the young Jamaican women on the bus take when Belinda mentions family?

4. Chapter 25 begins how long after Chapter 24 ends?

5. What aspect of the weather in London does Belinda find most distressing?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Donkor use foreshadowing within the scene when Amma is waiting for Roisin at Starbucks?

2. What major revelation does Amma make to Belinda?

3. What is Belinda's reaction to the place to which Amma takes her on their eighth trip home from Abacus College?

4. What is the significance of Amma's memory of the television show called Brookside?

5. What major plot point occurs within the scene at Starbucks?

6. What reasons does Roisin offer for her ghosting of Amma and how do they all connect?

7. What habit of Belinda's does Mary point out is still going on, even though Belinda is now in London rather than Duban?

8. How does Donkor incorporate sensory detail into Belinda's long walk between Streatham and Brixton Hills?

9. Describe Helena's personality.

10. Why is Belinda's wrist hurting her "during the long week of complete silence between Belinda and Amma" (189)?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the interplay between the resolution of Housegirl and one of the novel's main messages. How does Donkor make connections between these elements and how does their juxtaposition help them get across one main message of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the instances of irony within the narrative of Housegirl and analyze Donkor’s purpose for including each instance you discuss.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze Donkor’s focus on the theme of class difference in Housegirl. What message is Donkor sending about wealth, socioeconomic status, and privilege?

(see the answer keys)

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