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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. How old is Shoba?

2. How did the residents of the building know Boori Ma was a refugee?

3. How long ago did Shoba and Shukumar's baby die?

4. Where is the Das family from?

5. What does Mrs. Das do in the car as her family drives through In India?

Short Essay Questions

1. What unfortunate incident occurs on the trip to the hills of Udayagiri?

2. What happens when Mr. Pirzada asks what the large orange vegetables are that he sees on porches?

3. Who is Boori Ma and what does she do for a living?

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

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

6. Why does Lilia say a prayer for Mr. Pirzada's family?

7. What happens when Shukumar attends an academic conference in Baltimore during Shoba's pregnancy?

8. What is Mr. Kapasi's other occupation?

9. What are the rituals Mr. Pirzada follows nightly?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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

Essay Topic 3

Discuss what Lilia's father means when he says: "But what does she learn about the world?" How does the dichotomy of being part of two cultures impart a knowledge that can't be taught in American schools? What view of American learning do you think Lahiri was trying to impart through these stories?

(see the answer keys)

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