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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 does Maxine notice about Gogol when he plays with her dog?

2. Who does Ashima try to contact first after learning of Ashoke's death?

3. What does the Ganguli family do on the eleventh day after Ashoke's death?

4. How often does Ashima see Ashoke while he's working in Ohio?

5. What fact delights Moushumi as she begins her eighth semester at NYU?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Moushumi and Dimitri do when they meet?

2. What bothers Gogol when he goes to Paris with Moushumi when she lectures there?

3. What does Gogol do after graduating from college?

4. How does Gogol finally learn about his father's death?

5. What kind of wedding do Gogol and Moushumi have?

6. What happens when Gogol takes Maxine to meet his family?

7. Why does Gogol agree to visit his family when he'd rather go to New Hampshire with Maxine's family?

8. What does Gogol do for Moushumi's Christmas gift?

9. How do Gogol and Mushumi react to one another after all this time?

10. How does Gogol feel about Maxine's family?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is the marriage of Ashim and Ashoke Ganguli different from most American marriages? Cite examples to support your answer. Discuss some advantages or disadvantages of each kind of marriage as described in the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Gogol and Moushumi ended up divorcing. Tell why this happened and then follow the problems in the marriage that were there from the beginning. Be sure to include those problems that were directly related to the fact that they were both second-generation Indian immigrants. Do you think the author succeeded in separating the problems that were unique to immigrants from those that can be found in any marriage in America today? Why or why not? Cite examples to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Ashoke's near-death experience is a theme of the novel. Describe this experience and how it affects his later decisions in life. Tell how those decisions affect the lives of the people close to him. Cite scenes or situations in the novel to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 618 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample