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

2. What is Obi's theory about corruption in Nigeria?

3. As the celebration continues, how does the author use an argument about kola nuts to reveal the clash between Christian beliefs and folklore?

4. What references are made to suggest that the UPU leaders are very aware of the prevalence of bribery in government circles?

5. What is the meaning of Obi's full name?

Short Essay Questions

1. What makes Obi especially interested in a new arrival at the Pine Grove while he and Joseph are there?

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

3. How is Joseph proven wrong about his assumption that the owner of the Palm Grove is a Syrian?

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

5. What references to bribery show that the members are very familiar with corruption in Nigeria At the reception held to welcome Obi home?

6. What mixed feelings do members of the Umuofian Progressive Union have about Obi's situation at the beginning of the novel?

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

8. How does Obi first disappoint the Umuofian progressive Union and the poor Umuofians who tax themselves heavily to send Obi to England to become a lawyer?

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

10. How does the incident with the police and the lorry driver on the way to Umuofia affect Obi's views about getting rid of bribery?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the major techniques used by Achebe to create an authentic Nigerian setting for the novel?

Essay Topic 2

To what extent do the experiences of Obi constitute a loss of innocence and idealism?

Essay Topic 3

Giving specific examples, discuss the evidence that the author presents in the novel to illustrate the impact of Obi's British education on his way of life and his analysis of issues.

(see the answer keys)

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