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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 did Chand shake the shoulder of the old man on the train?

2. Where do families sleep in the evenings during the summer?

3. From where do the villagers watch the action at the station?

4. What does the Subinspector tell Chand the villagers know nothing of?

5. What happened to Haseena's mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the scene between Jugga and Malli at the end of Chapter 2, section 3.

2. Discuss what Chand and the Subinspector note about the corruption of government officials in Chapter 1, section 2.

3. Describe what the villagers find at the river with the lambardar.

4. Explain the situation between Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs, as discussed by Chand and the Subinspector in Chapter 1, section 2.

5. Explain why the villagers allow the Muslims to be evacuated.

6. Describe the events at the rest house, by season, as experienced by the officers.

7. Explain how the Sikh officer determined the number of refugees killed on the ghost train.

8. Describe Imam Baksh's belief of how a religious man is seen. and why.

9. Describe the attitude of the Sikh soldiers near the trucks.

10. Explain what Jugga's mother gives as proof of his innocence, and his response.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the role of education in the novel. Which characters are educated? Which are not? Are those who are educated at an advantage or disadvantage? Why? What could education do for characters like Jugga? What has it done to characters like Iqbal? Is education to blame for some of the vast differences in opinion between characters? Why?

Essay Topic 2

One of the primary themes in the novel is the concept of the communal action, both in terms of peace and in terms of communal violence. Explain the concept of communal action. In the beginning, what is Mano Majra, in terms of its sense of community? How is that changed? What is the sense of community by the end of the novel? Since no violence occurred inside the village as a result of the Hindu/Muslim conflict, what drove a wedge between the two sects? In the end, does anyone benefit from the communal violence? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

There is vast governmental corruption mentioned throughout the novel. Give at least three examples of this corruption and discuss them at length. What causes this corruption? What are possible consequences? Who is involved? What are possible solutions? Does this corruption lend to the air of violence and hate in the country during the time of the novel? Why? Would this corruption exist if there was not already a war occurring? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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