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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. How old was Michael when he realized he had slipped past a childhood he had ignored and not understood?

2. Who did Mervyn become engaged to while his parents thought he was a student?

3. How long after dawn would the garden be a blaze of heat, frantic with noise and butterflies?

4. How long had it been since Michael had been in Ceylon?

5. In what region of Ceylon was Jaffna located?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Michael eat the curry he had for lunch at the old governor's home?

2. What were the occupations of Simon Ondaatje and his brothers?

3. What did Mervyn use at Rock Hill to deter the snakes?

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

5. What would people do after the races were over for the day?

6. Describe the engagement ring that Mervyn bought for Doris and Gratiaen and how it was paid for.

7. What did Michael dream on page 27?

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

9. What was Mervyn like when his dipsomania would recur?

10. What happened at Philip Ondaatje's funeral?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mervyn struggled with dipsomania. Discuss dipsomania and how it affected Mervyn and his family.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Mervyn's and Doris's courtship.

Essay Topic 3

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

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 750 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample