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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. Parvati was born to which caste?

2. Who encouraged and aided Lakshmi in her move to Jaipur?

3. What price was decided upon for Maharani Latika’s henna supplies?

4. What animal represents Lord Ganesh?

5. What welcomed the bounties of Goddess Lakshmi? This is what Lakshmi created for the Sharma family.

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Lakshmi help women have abortions?

2. Describe the Old Pink City.

3. What deal does Parvati offer Lakshmi regarding the match between Ravi and Sheela?

4. Describe Lakshmi’s mosaic tile floor.

5. How did the end of the Singh’s party end in trouble for Lakshmi?

6. What does Radha do to try to remove the curse on her family?

7. What happy news is received at the Singh’s party?

8. How is Lakshmi a fallen woman in the eyes of her ladies?

9. How had notebooks become important to Lakshmi?

10. Who are the Singhs, both past and present?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The blending of cultures is shown in many ways in this story. Describe two ways in which the author brings focus to this. What are the pros and cons given in the story of blending cultures? How is seen in our own country, both in small communities of ethnic groups, as well as in the culture at large?

Essay Topic 2

The Epigraph sets the tone and a taste of the culture found in this book. Describe the overall tone of this book. Is it happy or somber? Is it serious or light-hearted? How does this relate to Lakshmi’s personality? What subtle, and not so subtle, changes in tone take place? How does this emphasize events that take place? How does this affect you, emotionally, as the reader?

Essay Topic 3

Cultural influence is strong in this story. Describe Indian culture of the 1950s and how it influences the characters of this book. Describe your own culture, as well as the broader U.S. culture today. How are you influenced by the culture in which you were born, as well as the culture of the world in which you live? Are there clashes between these two cultures, or do they seem to be one culture, rather than two, fitting seamlessly together? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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