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

2. During one vacation, Selam asks the narrator ___________________________.

3. Which of the following do the Christian rebels NOT do to the person who is sheltering Jubril?

4. Which of the following is NOT something Selam likes about the narrator?

5. Why is the soldier anxious to reach the village?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. What is the narrator's father's advice to Selam regarding eating pork?

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

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

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

Explain Uwem Akpan's writing style. How does he deliver information? How does he develop characters? What is the general tone of his stories? What is the most appealing aspect of Akpan's writing for you? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Loss seems to be almost an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is the sense of loss? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the characters' lives? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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