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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. Who is the best friend of the person in #74?

2. This story is told from which point of view?

3. What does Madam Aniema do to the soldier to calm him down?

4. Which of the following is NOT something the soldier threatens to do if he is forced off the bus?

5. Why do the narrator's parents no longer want her to play with a certain girl?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What does the narrator experience on the day her parents inform her she can no longer play with Selam?

4. What elements of Western life are uncomfortable for Jubril while on the bus?

5. What is the unifying thread of the conflicts in the story?

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

7. What ban by the Nigerian government takes place just prior to the opening of the story, "Luxurious Hearses"?

8. What is notable about the story "What Language is That?"

9. How do the policemen who take the sick man off the bus represent the corruption that exists in the country?

10. Who is Hadiya and how does she impact the relationship between the narrator and Selam?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose three characters from different stories and then project into the future ten years and write a brief synopsis for their lives. Be sure to include geography, marital status, work, socialization, etc.

Essay Topic 2

What is the overall setting for the stories in the book? Be sure to include geography, time period and any pertinent popular culture events. Why did Akpan choose to use these places in the stories?

Essay Topic 3

Uwem Akpan is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphor, and irony. Briefly describe each and identify the technique which they embody.

(see the answer keys)

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