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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. How did Theroux know he had touched bottom while traveling by train?

2. What new food had the Ceylonese begun planting because of their starvation?

3. What animals did Theroux encounter near the Galta gorge temple?

4. What profession did Theroux claim to ward off questions in Chapter 7?

5. How high did the railway climb through the pass?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why was the destruction of the coral reefs a perfect example of the improvidence of the Ceylonese?

2. Why was Theroux fascinated by the taxi driver's offer of a prostitute in the Bay of Bengal?

3. Why was Mr. Radia, with whom Theroux spoke in Chapter 10, so cynical about the English?

4. Why did Duffill appear to be so mysterious to Theroux?

5. What is ironic about the treatment of the young Indian man fleeing London's racism in Chapter 7?

6. Describe Mr. Gopal, the embassy liaison man showing the tourist sites to Theroux in Chapter 11.

7. What was Theroux's reaction to the German drug addict he met in India in Chapter 8?

8. What were Theroux's impressions of the alleged tombs of Cain and Abel?

9. What was Molesworth's attitude toward tourism?

10. How did Theroux describe the Australians he encountered on the trains?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

An Indian man on board the train with Theroux in Lahore told the author he was fleeing racism in London. One of the things he complained about was being stared at. In response, Theroux pointed out he was stared at in Asia. While the language the Indian faced in London was obviously racist, did the staring fall into the same category? Why did the man seem unable to recognize the implications of being kicked out of first class? How did Theroux react to the stares he received and did he seem to view them as racist? Were either one (the Indian or Theroux) being naive?

Essay Topic 2

In his descriptions of some of the railway stations through which he traveled, Theroux made it clear that many of the stations were ornate and reflected either the culture of the nation or the culture of the former colonial authority. Write an essay outlining how countries use railway station architecture to highlight their unique cultures. Does the effort to incorporate local styles help provide visitors with a better sense and appreciation of the country? What do you think Theroux could have learned from stations without any unique cultural aspects? What impact would homogenization have? Would it make all cultures seem similar?

Essay Topic 3

In the closing pages, Theroux reflected on how the book could have been different if he had written it as a novel instead of a travel piece. Did he focus too much on what his eyes saw or did he discuss what his imagination knew? Would the book have worked better as fiction? Would it have been necessary for Theroux to invent characters and situations in order to help the narrative flow? Did he make the right choice in writing a travelogue?

(see the answer keys)

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