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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. Although Mr. Salgado goes to the best schools in Colombo, he considers himself what?

2. As Triton waits to meet Mr. Salgado, he:

3. How is Mr. Salgado associated with the narrator?

4. What about Mr. Salgado captivates young Triton when they first meet?

5. Why does the cashier turn off the outside lights?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the relationship between Triton and Mr. Salgado.

2. In the opening scene, what kind of trouble does the cashier experience?

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

4. Where does this story begin?

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

6. What does the London cashier say about the situation back home in Sri Lanka?

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

8. What does Triton do right after he fills up the tank of his old Volkswagen?

9. During their first meeting, how does Triton reply when Mr. Salgado asks if he's been to school?

10. What happens in 1962, when Triton's narration begins?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe in detail several of the images the author creates through his narrative to bring the tropical Sri Lankan setting to life for the reader.

Essay Topic 2

A prominent symbol used throughout this book is the ocean. Explain what the ocean represents in terms of:

1. The main characters' lives.

2. The changing social and political climate of Sri Lanka.

3. Personal growth and transformation.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast Triton's earlier years in Sri Lanka and his later years in England.

1. How does he recreate some of his Sri Lankan existence in England?

2. How does he free himself from the ghosts of his past?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 787 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample