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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. Two people who share a close bond are able to _________________________.

2. How many days does the narrator watch Selam's apartment building?

3. What was Jubril's punishment for stealing a goat?

4. What does Jubril fear will reveal that he is a Muslim?

5. Who tells this story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Akpan choose second person narration for the story?

2. How does Jubril disguise his being a Muslim while on the bus?

3. Who is Hadiya and how does she impact the relationship between the narrator and Selam?

4. Who are the narrator and Selam and what is their relationship?

5. Why are the passengers on the bus infused with a sense of urgency?

6. What does the Chief signify in the story?

7. How does Akpan's choice of second person narration affect the reader?

8. Why are the narrator and Selam no longer allowed to play together?

9. What is the main point of the story, "What Language is That"?

10. What ban by the Nigerian government takes place just prior to the opening of the story, "Luxurious Hearses"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the significance of the book's title? What are some other possible titles for the book. List at least five and cite your reasons for each.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the role of women in Africa in the late-20th century when the women in the stories are living their lives. What precedents do they feel compelled to follow? What restrictions do they have? What freedoms did they have that 21st century women do not have?

Essay Topic 3

What is the overall setting for the stories in the book? Be sure to include geography, time period and any pertinent popular culture events. Why did Akpan choose to use these places in the stories?

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