View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What deal do Runu and Jai make in Part III?

2. What does Tariq-Bhai say the police should use to track Aanchal's phone?

3. Why does Jai think Omvir's mother is always angry?

4. What do the Christmas holidays mean for Jai and his friends?

5. What does Jai steal from a plate at work one of his first days there?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Jai do to earn back the money for the parachute tin, and how does this endeavor start?

2. Who does Jai notice asking Duttaram about child labor and why does he notice this person?

3. What problem do the basti residents have with the police as more children are disappearing?

4. What do Jai, Pari and Faiz eventually learn that Aanchal was doing regularly to better herself?

5. What deal do Runu-Didi and Jai make in Part IV?

6. Who does Jai encounter while working at Duttaram's and how does he think this creature will help with his detective work?

7. What does Runu-Didi tell Jai about why someone is stealing so many children, and how does he react?

8. What are the rumors Jai starts hearing about Aanchal?

9. Why do some people change their minds about the kidnappings being done by Muslims in Part IV?

10. In the section in Part III that explains what happened to Aanchal, what made her very uncomfortable on the night she disappeared?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Anappara writes this novel with a great degree of humor and empathy, but ultimately, its plot points and characters lead to heartbreaking conclusions. How does her main protagonist, Jai, change over the course of the novel, particularly after the disappearance of his sister Runi-Didi? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

How does Jai feel about his one trip on the Purple Line Metro route with Pari, and what does this trip symbolize for him? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

In what specific situations and contexts do young female characters in this novel feel that they are disadvantaged, treated unfairly, and/or discriminated against because of their gender? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 848 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample