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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 much older is Digby than Elsie?

2. How many days after his surgery is Lenin able to stand and greet Mariamma?

3. What is the name of the watchman at the Mar Thomas Medical Mission Hospital?

4. Who was the person that Anna heard saved a pulayi from bleeding to death after childbirth by pinching the womb?

5. Who finds Ammachi and Baby Mol when they die?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Joppan inherit from his father?

2. How does Parambil thrive under Joppan's care?

3. What addiction does Philipose have after his ankle injuries?

4. What happens to Elsie three weeks after Mariamma is born?

5. In 1959, what schedule does Philipose keep?

6. What causes Mariamma to consider becoming a doctor?

7. Where does Lenin go after his family dies, and why is he sent to Parambil?

8. How did Digby and Elsie meet again after she left Parambil?

9. How does Joppan lose his barge business?

10. What does Elsie look like when Mariamma first sees her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A man who becomes known as the Uplift Master helps bring change to Parambil. Why are the changes the Uplift Master brings important to the growth and development of the area and the economic status of those who live in the area?

Essay Topic 2

Imagery is a literary device authors use to describe characters in a narrative and the world they inhabit. Imagery involves using the five senses to describe characters, places, and things. How does Verghese use imagery to help readers imagine the world where characters live in The Covenant of Water?

Essay Topic 3

An allusion is a figure of speech that does not directly refer to a person, place, or thing. What are some allusions in The Covenant of Water? Why might it be difficult to decipher an allusion just by the context of a passage in a book? How do the allusions Verghese uses help readers’ understanding of people, events, or concepts in the book?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 855 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample