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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. In "Once There Was a King," what is the narrator's excuse for skipping his lesson?

2. What does Haralal leave for Venu when he resigns?

3. Who does Phatik speak to in his feverish delirium?

4. During what part of the year does Haralal need to travel by the Saturday morning train?

5. What does Phatik imagine he is doing in his sleep?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Phatik is taken to his mother's house?

2. How has Venu changed when Haralal goes to see him after his mother's death?

3. What favour does Venu ask of Haralal, and why does Haralal say no?

4. What did narrator hope would happen on the evening when the story started?

5. What happens when the other children at the boy's school ask him about the princess?

6. What does Phatik's aunt think of him moving in?

7. Why is Haralal feeling so bad when the carriage picks him up after he has walked around Calcutta?

8. How does Ratikanta treat those who come to see his patron?

9. How does Venu react to Haralal leaving?

10. What happens when Hanalal takes Venu's letter and ornaments to Adharlal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tagore is often described as being a humanist. Use examples from three of his stories to show how this humanism is expressed in his writing.

Essay Topic 2

What role does loneliness play in Tagore's stories? Examine the effects of loneliness and isolation on his characters and their narratives.

Essay Topic 3

Examine the power dynamics within the relationships in "Master Mashai." How does Tagore convey these dynamics, and how do they inform the plot?

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This section contains 720 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample