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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 long after dawn would the garden be a blaze of heat, frantic with noise and butterflies?

2. How deep was the section of Kandy lake where Francis de Saram attempted to drown himself?

3. What dance was perfected on a rock at Gasanawa?

4. How long had it been since Michael had been in Ceylon?

5. Who did Mervyn become engaged to while his parents thought he was a student?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened at Philip Ondaatje's funeral?

2. What did Mervyn use at Rock Hill to deter the snakes?

3. What were the occupations of Simon Ondaatje and his brothers?

4. Why did Mervyn take a short trip to Ireland when the university closed down?

5. What was the heat like in Colombo?

6. What myth was told about thalagoya?

7. When did Michael's parents' generation grow up?

8. Describe the tombstone Michael and his family discovered in a church in Colombo.

9. In the introduction to Chapter 1, what nightmare did Michael experience?

10. Why was it difficult for Mervyn's father to argue with Mervyn?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Michael's purpose for writing "Running in the Family" and whether he achieved his purpose.

Essay Topic 2

Lalla and Rene de Saram were friends who were neighbors and became widows. Compare Lalla and Rene.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss how and why Michael decided to visit Ceylon.

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This section contains 655 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample