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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 does Obi respond to the two men he meets on his first day at work?

2. By using the expression "Augean stable", what literary device is the author using?

3. Where in Lagos does Joseph live?

4. What new post has Clara been offered while Obi has been dealing with his new job?

5. What happens when Obi goes for his job interview with the Public Services Commission?

Short Essay Questions

1. What causes Obi to storm out of the December UPU meeting in a rage?

2. What is the meaning of Obi's full name and why did his father give him this name?

3. What views about the "bride-price" do Obi and Joseph discuss after speaking about Obi's job interview?

4. What story does Joseph recall about Obi's school days while he and Obi are at dinner at the Pine Grove?

5. What contact has there been between Clara and Obi before being together in the Lagos slum where Clara has a dressmaker?

6. What complaints does Obi make about an encounter with the police after buying the ring and returning home to Joseph?

7. What two mistakes does Obi make when Obi attends reception held in Lagos by the Umuofian Progressive Union to welcome him home?

8. What happens at Obi's job interview with the Public Service Commission?

9. Why does Obi accuse Joseph of having a colonial mentality When Obi and Joseph discuss Obi's job interview with the Public service Commission?

10. What does Obi encounter that reminds him about the prevalence of bribery when going home for a short visit while waiting for the result of his interview?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a character sketch of Clara and outline the role of her relationship with Obi in his downfall.

Essay Topic 2

The disclosure at the beginning of the novel that Obi is on trial for accepting bribes necessitates extensive use of flashbacks to describe the evolution of events that bring him to this. Discuss the author's handling of flashbacks as a means of exposition in the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the roles of Joseph and Christopher in the novel, with specific reference to the role of Christopher as a foil to Obi.

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