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

2. One day, the narrator smells ________________ in the apartment.

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

4. What does the narrator see Selam doing at her apartment one night?

5. The soldier wants to be a farmer or a ____________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Jubril disguise his being a Muslim while on the bus?

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

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

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

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

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

7. What is the core source of all the violence that takes place in the story?

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

9. How had Jubril lost his right hand and why is it important for him to hide that fact while on the bus?

10. What does the narrator do during the days after being restricted from playing with Selam?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a character study of Maisha in "An Ex-Mas Feast (Kenya)". What are her physical characteristics? What are her motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say about Maisha?

Essay Topic 2

Create a character study of Fofo Kpee in "Fattening for Gabon (Benin)". What are his physical characteristics? What are his motivations? What are his fears? What are his dreams? What else can you say about Fofo Kpee?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 888 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample