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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. What railway line did Theroux grow up near?

2. To what did Theroux compare the forests of Madhya Pradesh?

3. In what year did Twain travel to India?

4. What was on the marble slabs at the Galta temple entrance?

5. What country did not have a single inch of railway track?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Theroux find it insane that people were attending an American literature conference in Ceylon?

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

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

4. Describe the Tamils as encountered by Theroux in Chapter 12.

5. Why did Theroux think the Orient Express was used as the setting for many stories of criminal intrigues?

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

7. What was the Indian professor's view of Mr. Gopal's ignorance?

8. Why had Sadik still not taken a pilgrimage to Mecca when he met Theroux in Chapter 4?

9. Why did Paramahansa Yogananda, the guru followed by Mr. Gupta in Chapter 9, go to America?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In his travels through India, Theroux seemed to be convinced India was doomed to failure in the long run unless the population was brought under control. He had also described in disbelieving terms the family planning officials who themselves had large families. Do you believe Theroux was accurate in his claims? How would reining in population figures help a nation develop economically? Is there a point at which nations cannot cope with a large population or can nations figure out a way to successfully spread wealth despite large numbers?

Essay Topic 2

Many of the religious processions and festivals observed by Theroux appeared to be much more colorful, exuberant, bloody (in some cases), and well-attended than religious activities in Western countries. Do you think people in poorer parts of the world pay closer attention to religion? On the flip side, do cultures tend to drift away from religious ritual as they become more prosperous? Is the change inevitable? Did the profound dedication to religious faith in poor countries that Theroux witnessed offer any important insights into those cultures?

Essay Topic 3

While most of the trains boarded by Theroux were rather slow and, in many cases old, some of the trains he rode in Japan were extremely fast. As a result, he felt he did not have rich experiences. Did the speed of the trains interfere with his ability to have revealing conversations with others? Or was some of that due to the Japanese character? How would slower trains facilitate conversation?

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