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 Russian writer did Theroux read on the trip in Chapter 7?

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

3. What profession did Theroux claim to ward off questions in Chapter 7?

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

5. What game did Theroux want to play at the Pakistani club in Chapter 7?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

6. Describe the English engineer's (encountered in Chapter 5) experiences with women.

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

8. Why was Theroux fascinated by the taxi driver's offer of a prostitute in the Bay of Bengal?

9. Why was the destruction of the coral reefs a perfect example of the improvidence of the Ceylonese?

10. How did Theroux describe the Australians he encountered on the trains?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In contrast to his discussions with the Bangladeshi family planning experts, Theroux discovered that in the Soviet Union, efforts were underway to increase the population due to a declining birth rate. Many European nations today are experiencing declining birth rates, while poorer countries in Asia and Africa are expanding rapidly. How do nations determine what is an appropriate or manageable population? Is it possible to control how individuals plan their families? Why do poor nations have such high birth rates while nations that can better afford to feed and house their populations have low birth rates? Which comes first--poverty or high birth rates?

Essay Topic 2

The hippies seen on the trains throughout Turkey kept to themselves for the most part, not interacting with the Turkish people on board. Did Theroux think they were not experiencing authentic culture? How were Theroux's experiences in Turkey richer than those of the hippies? Do you think Theroux would have met the people he met in Turkey if he had stayed in cars with mostly Americans? Do you think the hippies were having a rich experience in Asia? How do you think Theroux felt about their apparent attitude toward the locals?

Essay Topic 3

In Vietnam, Theroux wrote that his impression of American involvement had been doomed because we had no intention of staying. Therefore, we never developed a vision of what kind of nation we would leave behind, and the Vietnamese emerged damaged and abandoned. Do you believe the U.S. could have achieved its objectives had we remained in the country for a longer period of time? What responsibility did Theroux suggest a nation had to stay and rebuild another nation after involving itself in a military mission?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,160 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample