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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 did Theroux write was a common form of Japanese courtesy among parents?

2. What was bunraku?

3. What drug was the Burmese man using on the way to the viaduct?

4. Which Hindu deity did the Bengalis worship in the other festival described by Theroux in Chapter 16?

5. What interrupted Theroux's conversation at the Japanese National Railways office?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Westerners and Japanese react to the suicide of the Japanese writer, Yukio Mishima?

2. Why did Theroux refer to Laos as "America's expensive practical joke"?

3. Why did Theroux describe the Burmese government as a Buddhist bureaucracy?

4. What did Theroux find disturbing about Osaka?

5. Why did Mr. Lau dislike Kuala Lumpur?

6. How did Mr. Bernard treat Theroux at his mansion in maymyo?

7. What was Theroux's reaction to the sight of the Goktiek Viaduct?

8. What are the differences between Japanese and American consumers?

9. How did Theroux describe the clothes laundering he witnessed from the trains in Asia?

10. Why were the Vietnamese focused on providing foreign visitors with privileges?

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

Theroux visited what were declared to be the tombs of Cain and Abel while traveling through Ceylon. The country was in dire straits when Theroux traveled through and continued to have significant problems. What was the significance of the location of the alleged tombs of Cain and Abel? Does the fact that the "first murderer" was buried in Ceylon say anything about the country's likely fate? Do you think that the Ceylonese (who showed signs of religious devotion) viewed the tombs as somehow significant in terms of their condition? Did the decrepit condition of the tombs indicate a desire to suppress the tradition that this was the burial place of Cain and Abel?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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