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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. Why doesn't the Ganguli baby get the name it was supposed to get before leaving the hospital?

2. After Gogol gives his reasons for changing his name, how do his parents respond?

3. Why doesn't Ashoke explain how Gogol came about his name when he gives him the book by Nikoli Gogol?

4. How do Gogol and his friends celebrate his fourteenth birthday party?

5. As a young boy, how does Gogol feel about his name?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ashoke think about while Ashima is in labor?

2. How do Ashima and Ashoke feel about Ruth when they learn of their son's girlfriend?

3. What happens when Gogol's train coming home from college is late?

4. Why does Ashoke choose the name Nikhil for Gogol when he begins school?

5. How are the Ganguli family plans changed while preparing for a visit to India when Gogol is a year old?

6. What does Ashima think about while in labor?

7. Why don't Ashima and Ashoke have a name picked out for their baby?

8. Why doesn't the school call Gogol by the name Nikhil?

9. What job is Ashoke offered after finishing his college studies?

10. What does Gogol decide to do when he turns eighteen?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This book is the story of the lives of the Ganguli family that are both intertwined and separate. Tell how each family member's story is affected and changed by the actions of other members of the family. Explain how these interactions changes the outcome of the story.

Essay Topic 2

Moushumi enters the book somewhat late in the story and doesn't remain to the end, but she is central to the development of Gogol's character. Trace her actions through the story. Why does she act as she does? Are her actions pivotal to the plot or can the story follow the same course to the same conclusion without her character? Why or why not? Support your answer with examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Ashima Ganguli is a pivotal character in the novel. Explore the character of Ashima throughout the book and explain how she evolves. Focus on her independence, her acceptance of the American lifestyle and her support of her childrens' choice of lifestyles. Cite examples from the book to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 708 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample