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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. Where does Gogol first begin to introduce himself to people as Nikhil?

2. What does Ashima tell Ashoke as soon as they bring their baby home?

3. What makes Ashima's first outing with Gogol take longer than expected?

4. What was Ashima's initial reaction to her first home in America?

5. What difference does Ashima notice in her days before and after Gogol's birth?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Gogol react to the gifts he receives at his fourteenth birthday party?

2. Why is Ashima afraid while in labor?

3. What happens when Gogol's train coming home from college is late?

4. Why does Ashoke choose the name Nikhil for Gogol when he begins school?

5. What does Gogol do during the traditional rice ceremony when he is six months old?

6. Why don't Ashima and Ashoke have a name picked out for their baby?

7. Why aren't Ashoke and Ashima concerned that they don't have a name picked out before the birth of their child?

8. Who befriends Ashima at the hospital and how?

9. Why doesn't Gogol look forward to his fourteenth birthday party?

10. What happens when Gogol takes an English class in high school?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author chooses to use a common third-person voice for the narrative, but tells the story as if in the present. This is not common in literature. Tell whether you think this works well for this story. Tell why or why not and support you case by citing examples from the book that you feel are best told this way or that would be better told differently.

Essay Topic 2

Moushumi experiences much the same cultural ambivalence as Gogol. Explain why this is so and cite scenes from the book that show this ambivalence.

Essay Topic 3

Ashima Ganguli is a pivotal character in the novel. Explore the character of Ashima throughout the book and explain how she evolves. Focus on her independence, her acceptance of the American lifestyle and her support of her childrens' choice of lifestyles. Cite examples from the book to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 677 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample