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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. When Triton gets up to investigate the source of the sound in the house, he finds Joseph in Mr. Salgado's room. What is the man doing there?

2. When the narrator and cashier meet, what is happening in Sri Lanka?

3. How far away is Sri Lanka from England?

4. What do Triton, Mr. Salgado, and others in the neighborhood hear coming from house number eight?

5. When it starts to rain, Triton hopes that Joseph ____.

Short Essay Questions

1. Through which character does the author choose to reveal the changing sociopolitical landscape of Sri Lanka across many decades?

2. The narrator speaks with a gas station cashier. How experienced is the cashier with his job?

3. When the cashier asks the narrator if he lives close by, what does the man reply?

4. At the end of the first section, what does the narrator begin to talk about with the gas station cashier?

5. When he is a boy, why does Triton regard Mr. Salgado's house as the "center of the universe"?

6. Describe the relationship between Triton and Joseph.

7. When Mr. Salgado leaves for a weekend trip to his cousin's tea estate, what additional responsibilities does he give Triton?

8. At the start of the story, how does the narrator try to help the cashier?

9. Why is young Triton brought to Mr. Salgado's home?

10. Why does the gas station cashier want the narrator to speak with his boss?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Triton, the narrator, with Mr. Salgado, the main character. Explain their differences and similarities. How does the reader view the world through the lens of the narrator? How does the narrator become one of the story's main characters?

Essay Topic 2

How does the author use a story told by a former servant boy as a tool to educate readers about the nation of Sri Lanka, including its culture, people, geographical attributes, and recent social and political unrest? Do you feel this is an effective tool? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

From your perspective, is Mr. Salgado an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist? Support your answer with several examples from the book.

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