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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 was Hari’s mother’s response to Lakshmi taking the money and her herb pot?

2. What is the red-gold liquid Maharani Indira drinks?

3. What is Sheela Sharma’s very difficult demand, if she is to marry Ravi?

4. What never occurs to Lakshmi regarding Radha and the girls at the school?

5. What does Kanta admire most about Lakshmi?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Lakshmi abort her pregnancies? How does this affect Hari?

2. Why was Lakshmi nervous about the relationship between Kanta and Radha?

3. What is the event that puts an end to Lakshmi's business in Jaipur? What are the consequences?

4. How does Radha show her naivety once Lakshmi tells her she is pregnant?

5. What is the last the reader sees of Parvati?

6. What information gives readers a clue at the beginning of Part Three that something is going on with Radha?

7. What is the reason Maharani Indira gives for wanting Maharani Latika healed?

8. What were signs that Maharani Latika was healing?

9. What were signs that Radha was pregnant?

10. How do things start to go downhill after Lakshmi drops Radha back off at school after their lunch out together?

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

Choose one of the main characters from this book and describe his or her character development throughout the story. What leads to this development? How do other characters and the events surrounding him or her influence him or her? Overall, what are your thoughts about this character? Did your opinion regarding this character stay the same or change? Explain.

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?

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