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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 American author did Theroux mention in describing Indians in Chapter 9?

2. What happened with the Orient Express when it went through the Alpine tunnel in Chapter 2?

3. Approximately how much did Theroux's meal cost on the train through France?

4. What was the approximate population of Ceylon at the time of Chapter 15?

5. What animals did Theroux encounter near the Galta gorge temple?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the Indian professor's view of Mr. Gopal's ignorance?

2. In Theroux's view, how did the strictures of Islam affect Pakistani men?

3. Describe the city of Teheran as encountered by Theroux in Chapter 4.

4. Why was Mr. Radia, with whom Theroux spoke in Chapter 10, so cynical about the English?

5. Why did Theroux have an early childhood fascination with train travel?

6. What were Theroux's impressions of the Pakistani city of Peshawar?

7. Why was Theroux unwilling to explain his first impressions of India to Vishnua Bhardwaj, the Accountant General on the train to Simla?

8. Describe the Afghan prison conditions mentioned by Mr. Haq in Chapter 6.

9. Why did Duffill appear to be so mysterious to Theroux?

10. What was Theroux's reaction to the German drug addict he met in India in Chapter 8?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Theroux visited what were declared to be the tombs of Cain and Abel while traveling through Ceylon. The country was in dire straits when Theroux traveled through and continued to have significant problems. What was the significance of the location of the alleged tombs of Cain and Abel? Does the fact that the "first murderer" was buried in Ceylon say anything about the country's likely fate? Do you think that the Ceylonese (who showed signs of religious devotion) viewed the tombs as somehow significant in terms of their condition? Did the decrepit condition of the tombs indicate a desire to suppress the tradition that this was the burial place of Cain and Abel?

Essay Topic 2

In many of the Muslim areas traveled by Theroux, there was very little or non-existent public interaction between men and women. How do you think this lack of interaction helped or hindered the nations he traveled through? How do you think it affected the workforce? Is it possible to have both male and female workforces when they have to be separated? What impact did the lack of visible women have on the cultures seen in the book? Would having more women in visible roles have an impact on the society and, if so, how?

Essay Topic 3

Theroux opened the book with a description of his childhood love of trains. What was it about trains, as opposed to other forms of transportation, that fascinated him so much? Why did he choose to travel by train through Asia? Would he have had the same rich experiences he had by train if he had instead flown from city to city in Asia? Would he have met the same people and had the same fascinating conversations?

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