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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How much money do Rukmani and Nathan leave the village with?

2. On their first night in the city, what happens while Rukmani and Nathan are eating their dinner?

3. Who comes to the farm to collect the rent?

4. Why does Kunthi come Rukmani's house during the drought?

5. During their conversation in the village, Biswas tells Rukmani a rumor he heard from Kunthi. What is the rumor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The book is entitled "Nectar in a Sieve". Why does the author choose this title? How does the title foreshadow the story of Rukmani's life?

Essay Topic 2

Rukmani and Nathan travel to the city to find their son. Instead of finding their son, however, they find his wife and learn that their son has deserted her. Ammu is now a single mother, as is Ira back in the village. Single parenthood drastically changes both of their lives.

a. Compare and contrast the lives of Ammu and Ira as single parents.

b. Compare and contrast single parenthood in the novel and in our society.

c. How did living in the city versus being in the village impact the situations of both Ammu and Ira?

Essay Topic 3

Death is one of the themes visited throughout the novel.

a. Kuti, Raja, and Nathan all die in the novel. Describe their deaths. Who were they surrounded by? What circumstances led to their deaths? Could their deaths have been prevented?

b. Compare and contrast the effect each of their deaths has on Rukmani (Kuti, Old Granny, and Nathan).

c. How were deaths handled in the city versus in the village?

d. After Old Granny's death, Rukmani realizes something about the nature of people. What is it? Do you agree with Rukmani? Support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 380 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample