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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 game do Mr. Pirzada and Lilia's parents play each night?

2. What did Boori Ma claim she was before coming to the building.

3. Because of the war with India Mr. Pirzada does not hear from his family for how many months?

4. What is the final secret Shoba reveals to Shukumar?

5. How old is Lilia during the events of her story?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is similar between the Das marriage and the Kapasi marriage?

2. What do Shukumar and Shoba do the first night the power is turned off?

3. Why is the electricity being turned off in Shoba and Shukumar's neighborhood in "A Temporary Matter"?

4. What does Shoba tell Shukumar on the night the power is restored?

5. Why does the Das family tour take a trip into the hills of Udayagiri?

6. What do Shoba and Shukumar tell each other the second night of the telling game?

7. What happens when Lilia returns from trick-or-treating?

8. What would Mr. Kapasi like to be doing for work?

9. Why does Shukumar not look forward to the weekends when Shoba is home?

10. What does the power outage remind Shoba of from her childhood?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the word "sexy" and its shades of meaning in the story "Sexy."

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the different marriages presented in the stories. What aspects of the marriages are due to culture and what aspects transcend culture differences?

Essay Topic 3

What commentary on American life is Lahiri making through the plots and characters of her collection of stories?

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This section contains 775 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample