View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the poem "Sweet Like a Crow," stepping on what bird was compared to the sound of someone's voice?

2. Where did a book Ian Goonetileke put together on the insurgency have to be published?

3. What year did Natalia Asarrapa die?

4. As he awaited his approaching marriage, how long after Mervyn had returned to Ceylon did he announce another engagement?

5. How tall were the doorways of the old governor's home?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the kabaragoya Michael and the children found dead on the beach.

2. Describe the thalagoya.

3. Why did a Dutch governor's daughter appear as a ghost?

4. Describe the tombstone Michael and his family discovered in a church in Colombo.

5. When did Michael's parents' generation grow up?

6. Under what condition, did a friend tell Michael that he seemed to know exactly what he wanted?

7. Why was it difficult for Mervyn's father to argue with Mervyn?

8. What did Michael see in a dream when he was staying at a friend's house near Lake Ontario?

9. What did Mervyn do instead of attending college in England?

10. What happened at Philip Ondaatje's funeral?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Michael wrote that his life was shaped by what went on before him. Discuss why Michael believed his life was shaped by what went on before him.

Essay Topic 2

Michael indicated that resthouses were an old tradition in Ceylon. Discuss resthouses and the dispute concerning resthouses.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss how and why Michael decided to visit Ceylon.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 681 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample