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. Who brings Lakshmi tea in "A Cup of Tea"?

2. Who did Monica give a bottle of nail polish to last week, according to the narrator in "Understanding Monica"?

3. What does Harish give to Lakshmi before leaving in "A Word Too Small"?

4. What does Harish give to Lakshmi for the festival of brothers and sisters?

5. What does Lakshmi see Mumtaz doing with the policeman in "Police"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Lakshmi's situation explained to her by Shahanna in "Everything I Need to Know Now"?

2. How does Shahanna respond when Lakshmi tells her about her encounter with the American?

3. What deal does Mumtaz make with Pushpa in Section 4? What becomes of Pushpa?

4. What happens after Lakshmi has been starved and given no water for five days at Happiness House?

5. What gifts do Lakshmi and Harish exchange during the Festival of Brothers and Sisters?

6. How are children perceived at Happiness House? How many of the prostitutes have children?

7. How is Lakshmi's new room described in "In My New Room"? With whom does she share the room?

8. What causes Lakshmi to become injured in her first days at Happiness House?

9. Why is Lakshmi relocated to a different room at Happiness House in "Changes"?

10. What financial figures does Lakshmi calculate regarding her income at Happiness House in "Mathematics"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the characters of Bajai Sita and Auntie Bimla in the narrative. What is Bajai Sita’s position in Lakshmi’s village? Why does Auntie Bimla agree to take Lakshmi with her? What are the underlying motivations (objectives) of these characters?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the festivals surrounding Tihar. When does the “Festival of Lights” occur? What customs surround this celebration? What does the festival signify for the villagers that live on Lakshmi’s mountain?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the characters of Monica, Anita, and Pushpa in the novel. What relationships does Lakshmi form with each of these characters? What happens to each of these characters in the story? What has brought each of these girls to Happiness House?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 875 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample