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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. How does Ferdinand react to the army coming to town?

2. What is the social occasion between Salim, Shoba, and Mahesh?

3. What is Indar doing in the town?

4. What does Salim observe when he visits the Domain?

5. What is Raymond's connection to the President?

Short Essay Questions

1. Give some details about Father Huismans' hobby.

2. What is going through Salim's mind as he travels deeper into the interior?

3. Describe Salim's family.

4. What is the situation at the beginning of the novel?

5. Why does Salim's family send the slave, Metty, to him?

6. How does Ferdinand become a burden on Salim?

7. Describe the reunion of Salim and Indar.

8. What is Raymond's story about the President as a young man?

9. In what way is Father Huismans somewhat naive?

10. Describe what made Mahesh's wooden spoon venture a failure.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a paper on the importance of expressing gratitude in human relations. Use Ferdinand's short note to Salim and Metty after the threat of war subsides in the town. Explain why it is necessary to thank people who perform some service or give some gift.

Essay Topic 2

Write a paper on the development of Ferdinand from the time he was sixteen-years-old until last seen in the novel as a young government official. Explain how Naipaul makes those changes and give your opinion as to how accurate he is in doing so.

Essay Topic 3

Using examples of ethnic food mentioned in the novel, write an essay about how different food is important to different people. Include foods that you would miss if you suddenly were denied access to them. Also discuss to what extent you would try different foods if you visit another country.

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This section contains 673 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample