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. How old is Kotchikpa?

2. How old are Otieno and Atieno?

3. Which one of the children does NOT escape from the hut?

4. What does Baba use to fan the chemicals out of the house?

5. What is a tout?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Jigana get special treatment in the family?

2. What role does Maisha play in the family and why do her parents resent her?

3. Why is Maisha a prostitute at the age of twelve?

4. What treats does Fofo Kpee give to the children and what do they think is the occasion for the goodies?

5. Who is Big Guy and what is he looking for at Fofo Kpee's house?

6. How does Fofo Kpee explain the delivery of the new motorcycle to the children?

7. Why do Mama and Papa encourage their children to sniff glue and drink alcohol?

8. What are the reasons that Jigana tears up his school items and runs away from the family?

9. Why does Mama give her children glue to sniff on Christmas morning?

10. Who is Fofo Kpee?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the role of the family in Akpan's stories.. What does it mean for some of the characters? How does the family evolve in its support of each other? How are some of the families fractured? Give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Explain why Akpan decided to tell these stories from the point of view of children. Are the events in the stories especially horrifying because the innocence of children is involved?

Essay Topic 3

Create a character study of the narrator in "What Language is That? (Ethiopia)". What are her physical characteristics? What are her motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say about the little narrator?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,106 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample