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. What is the name that Radha first calls Lakshmi?

2. What nickname does Kumar have for Samir?

3. When does one say MemSahib?

4. What changed everything and changed nothing, according to Part One?

5. What type of women did Samir prefer as lovers?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Lakshmi consider Sheela Sharma a good match for Ravi?

2. What is the purpose of Lakshmi’s tiffin?

3. Why does Lakshmi feel pressure regarding Kanta, as a client?

4. Why is the match between Sheela and Ravi so important to Lakshmi?

5. Why does Lakshmi help women have abortions?

6. How had notebooks become important to Lakshmi?

7. What did English tea sets such as Parvati’s signify, both before and after independence?

8. Why is wealth and gaining wealth so important to Lakshmi?

9. Why did the women of the upper caste choose Lakshmi over the women of the Shudra caste?

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

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

The definition of having wealth changes over the course of the story. How might wealth be described early on, especially by those in the high castes and by Lakshmi herself? How does this definition change over time? What does Lakshmi feel is important at the beginning of the story versus at the end? How does the author show the lack of wealth by those even in the higher castes? How does this relate to the Hindu Proverb from the Epigraph?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 970 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample