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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 does Sissie's relationship with Marija almost make her forget?

2. How long were Sissie and her twin in the womb?

3. What types of letters does Sissie send to her mother?

4. Who thinks that the Germans are oppressed?

5. Why do yams in the African marketplace rot?

Short Essay Questions

1. What city does Marija claim that Sissie ought to visit?

2. What does Part 2: "The Plums" say about education?

3. According to a poem in Part 2: "The Plums," what shape are the women that men marry?

4. How does Sissie describe East Berlin?

5. What meat does Marija plan to cook for Sissie on the day she is scheduled to depart?

6. Where does Sissie stay in London?

7. What country other than Ghana does Sissie tell Marija she has visited?

8. What does the German-born American professor tell Sissie that Germany, Ireland, and Africa have in common?

9. How many children does Sissie's mother have?

10. To what city does Sissie travel to meet her West African friend?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay on the theme of loneliness in the novel. In particular, analyze how the author uses various characters and their circumstances to develop and strengthen the theme of loneliness.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay explaining why SIssie is uncomfortable in the west. What people, things, customs, or attitudes make Sissie insistent on going back to Africa? You may also evaluate Sissie's opinion from your own point of view. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you evaluate how various landscapes are portrayed in the novel. What sorts of landscapes are described? Where are they located, and how do they make Sissie feel? What are the differences between Sissie's home country and the landscapes she encounters in Europe? Use evidence from the text to support your evaluation of the differences.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 475 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample