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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 far was it from Galle to Colombo?

2. Where did Doris and Mervyn go in Nuwara Eliya to try to repair their marriage?

3. What animal appeared out of the trees while Michael and his family were showering in the rain?

4. According to Aunt Dolly, where would wives meet their beaus?

5. In one of the stories about Mervyn's train escapade, what color were the dogs he was leading?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Mervyn nearly kill his three older children?

2. What was Michael's mother doing when David Grenier drowned?

3. Michael recorded sounds of the night in the jungle when he was in Ceylon. What did he hear when he played the tape back in Canada?

4. How did Michael describe the only picture he had of his parents together?

5. Where did Doris work after the divorce?

6. How did Lalla die?

7. What did a fortune-teller predict when Doris left Ceylon in 1949?

8. Why couldn't Mervyn stand Lalla?

9. What was Michael's Aunt Dolly like?

10. What did Doris coach the three older children to do when Mervyn lapsed into one of his alcoholic states?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lalla and Rene de Saram were friends who were neighbors and became widows. Compare Lalla and Rene.

Essay Topic 2

Michael described Kuttapitiya, the last estate where he and his siblings lived as children. Discuss Kuttapitiya and the Ondaatje's life there.

Essay Topic 3

Mervyn had an obsession with trains. Discuss why Mervyn's train rides became notorious.

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This section contains 813 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample