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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. Why does the principal finally end up registering Gogol by his pet name?

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

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

4. What time of day was the train wreck?

5. What do the Gangulis do with their home while they are in India?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the Ganguli family do during Ashoke's sabbatical?

2. What does Ashoke do for Gogol's fourteenth birthday?

3. What does Ashoke think about while Ashima is in labor?

4. What does Gogol decide to do when he turns eighteen?

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

6. What happens to Gogol and Sonia while the family are sightseeing in India?

7. Why doesn't the school call Gogol by the name Nikhil?

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

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

10. What does Ashima think about while in labor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Distance is one major theme in this novel. Explore the author's use of distance in the book, both physical and emotional, and tell how and where it is found and what the author accomplishes by using this theme. Cite examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

The Ganguli family lifestyle is central to the story. Compare and contrast the Ganguli family's lifestyle to the lifestyle of the Ratliffs. Cite examples from the novel that show differences and explain how those differences are important to the story.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 678 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample