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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. Why does entering the contest cost Rama Rao money?

2. Why does Velan leave his birthplace?

3. What reason does Swami give his dad for not wanting to go to school?

4. Where does the talkative man acquire his engine?

5. How does Narayan describe the train when Iyer gets on it?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why must the accountant open Govind Singh's letter?

2. What do the blind man and the dog each get out of their relationship?

3. What does Rama Rao plan to do with the money he gets from selling his home?

4. What gifts does Rao plan to bring to the woman he slapped nearly 50 years ago?

5. What kind of camp is Ranga taken to?

6. What does Rao think about the dog he encounters?

7. How does the reader know how much time passes during "The Axe"?

8. Why is Ramanujan so strict about sticking to one particular date for Kamakshi's wedding?

9. Why does Dr. Raman change his rule about being honest when it comes to his friend Gopal's medical situation?

10. Why does the talkative man end up quitting music?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose 3 "good" acts done by 3 different characters in "Malgudi Days." Discuss 1) what happens to each character as a result of this act and 2) what message Narayan is trying to convey through these events.

Essay Topic 2

Write a well-constructed essay addressing why the dog returns to the blind man in "The Blind Dog." What message is Narayan trying to convey?

Essay Topic 3

Choose two examples of the government and/or government programs present in "Malgudi Days." Discuss 1) what was going on in India at the time this novel takes place, and 2) how this may have affected Narayan's portrayal of the government and government programs in "Malgudi Days."

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 774 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample