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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. The main character grew up in what country?
(a) India.
(b) Canada.
(c) United States.
(d) Mexico.

2. In Pi's story, which of these statements is true about the black leopard that escaped from the Zurich Zoo?
(a) She escaped during the day when the zookeeper left her cage open.
(b) She roamed the countryside killing small animals.
(c) She shared her habitat with a male that she did not get along with.
(d) She lived for ten weeks before she was captured.

3. As night fell on his first day in the lifeboat, why did Pi become scared?
(a) All answers are correct.
(b) He knew the hyena was capable of hurting him.
(c) It would be dark and rescue boats wouldn't see him.
(d) He didn't know what would happen.

4. What event showed that fortune was with Pi?
(a) He didn't get killed by a falling zebra.
(b) He was mobile enough to get in the lifeboat.
(c) He was not seasick.
(d) He went to sleep early the night before.

5. Pi's interest in which of the following is one of the themes that runs throughout the book?
(a) Botany.
(b) Politics.
(c) Zoology.
(d) Sociology.

6. The nameless male character introduced in Part 1, Chapter 2 reappears in Part 1, Chapter 6. Readers now learn what about this man?
(a) He works in the zoo.
(b) He is a great cook with an extensive spice collection.
(c) He teaches the main character about animals.
(d) He likes to swim.

7. Why does the author promise the reader a happy ending to Pi's tale?
(a) Because people like to read books with happy endings.
(b) So the reader will not feel so sad.
(c) He has no specific reason for doing this.
(d) So the reader will continue reading the story.

8. What did Pi's father tell him was the second greatest danger in the zoo?
(a) Animal cruelty.
(b) Anthropomorphism.
(c) Old buildings.
(d) Man.

9. Pi and Mr. Kumar agreed on what?
(a) That all religions were basically the same.
(b) On politics.
(c) That Pi should spend more time studying.
(d) On the sacredness of the zoo.

10. When Pi's father took his sons on a tour of the zoo, which of the following statements is not true?
(a) His father told them none of the animals could be touched.
(b) His father told them not to try and pet a tiger.
(c) His father showed them how quickly animals could kill them.
(d) They watched a tiger eat a goat.

11. As Pi was learning about Islam, he visited a Muslim shopkeeper. Which of the following statements is true?
(a) The shopkeeper took Pi to a mosque.
(b) Pi didn't have dinner with the shopkeeper.
(c) The shopkeeper asked Pi to leave when it was time to pray.
(d) Pi bought Muslim prayer beads at the shop.

12. As Pi was in the lifeboat, what animal floated by and got into the boat?
(a) Another hyena.
(b) A monkey.
(c) An orangutan.
(d) A dog.

13. Why does Pi think that the hyena did not attack him?
(a) Because the hyena wasn't hungry.
(b) Because the tiger was in the boat.
(c) Because Pi had not yet gotten close enough to him.
(d) Because the hyena had not yet gotten to him.

14. When the hyena began to act strangely, what did Pi do?
(a) Sat still and thought about the predatory powers of the hyena.
(b) Hid under the tarp.
(c) Tried to quiet the hyena by distracting it.
(d) Jumped back into the water.

15. In Part 2, Chapter 48, Pi explains that the tiger got his name from what source?
(a) A mix-up in paperwork.
(b) The Pondicherry zookeeper.
(c) Pi when he was at the zoo.
(d) The author.

Short Answer Questions

1. Does the meeting at the zoo between the two Mr. Kumars have any special significance?

2. What did Pi not find after looking around on the boat?

3. In Part 1, Chapter 21, what is the author's purpose in writing about what he thinks after interviewing Pi?

4. What was the response of Pi's mother to his request for a Christian baptism and a prayer rug?

5. Pi was becoming hopeless after the zebra was killed, so he decided to do what?

(see the answer keys)

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