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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. One day, the narrator smells ________________ in the apartment.
(a) Perfume.
(b) Smoke.
(c) Cabbage.
(d) Cinnamon.

2. What had a girl named Hadiya told Selam at school one day?
(a) Hamburger is pork.
(b) A certain boy liked her.
(c) She could tutor her.
(d) She should join the choir.

3. Why do the bus passengers side with Jubril against the village chief?
(a) Jubril helped a small boy who the chief scared.
(b) Jubril passed out water that the chief was hiding.
(c) Jubril shared his food with the other passengers.
(d) The chief took Jubril's seat but has no ticket.

4. Jubril was baptized into which religion?
(a) Judaism.
(b) Christian.
(c) Muslim.
(d) Buddhism.

5. What place does Selam have in her family?
(a) The oldest child.
(b) The middle child.
(c) The youngest child.
(d) An only child.

Short Answer Questions

1. During the Christian and Muslim riots, Jubril was beaten and _________________________.

2. What is the setting of the story?

3. In what country does the story take place?

4. Why does Selam suddenly rush off her balcony and back into her apartment?

5. What does the narrator do when she first sees Selam at her apartment?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are the narrator and Selam no longer allowed to play together?

2. Who are the narrator and Selam and what is their relationship?

3. How do the narrator and Selam find a way to communicate with each other when they are not allowed to play together?

4. What is at the base of all the trivial conflicts in the story?

5. Why does Akpan choose second person narration for the story?

6. What is the main point of the story, "What Language is That"?

7. How does Akpan's choice of second person narration affect the reader?

8. How is the story, "What Language is That"? different from the other stories in this book?

9. What is the message of the story at the end?

10. Why are the passengers on the bus infused with a sense of urgency?

(see the answer keys)

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