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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 Chandra tell Koly about Hari's illness?

2. What is Koly's first reaction to seeing Varanasi?

3. Who do Sass and Koly visit in the village one week after Hari's death?

4. What does Koly hear Sass and Sassur discussing on the evening she overhears them in the courtyard in Chapter 5?

5. Why is Sassur described as being sad so often in Chapter 4?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Sass justify her refusal to give Koly her pension money when Koly tells her she wants it?

2. Describe the events that lead up to an envelope with Koly's name arriving at the Mehta's house each month.

3. Explain Koly''s reaction to hearing Sass and Sassur discuss the use of her widow's pension.

4. Describe Koly's first night in her new home after she is married.

5. Explain how Koly's parents earn income for the family.

6. Why is Chandra impressed by the qualifications of her intended husband?

7. Why does Sass treat Koly so poorly?

8. Explain how Koly's marriage is expected to benefit her family.

9. How is Hari's death addressed?

10. Sass demands, for the second time, that Koly give her the silver earrings. Explain why keeping these earrings is so important to Koly in Chapter 5.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Chandra and Koly are about the same age and have similar backgrounds.

1) Is Chandra a good friend to Koly?

2) How would the story have been different if Hari had no sister?

3) Will both girls have a happy life? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Consider the impact of good health and illness on the plot line of the story. At what points in the novel does the health of a character result in a major change in the direction of the story? Do any of the characters have choices in the occurrence or in the direction that their lives took at this point? Explain why or why not. Is health or financial status more important to the outcomes of the lives of the characters in this novel? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

The children in Koly's culture are expected to grow up and take on adult roles at a very young age.

1) Give two examples that show that Koly is not mature enough to handle the situations she finds herself in.

2) Give two examples that show that Koly is mature enough to handle the situations she finds herself in.

3) Give at least two examples that show the adults in the story are unable to handle the situations they find themselves in.

How much impact do age, maturity, experience, and character have in determining a person's ability to deal with adversity?

(see the answer keys)

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