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Unit 5 - Practice Quiz

ENG606

1 Jhumpa Lahiri was born in which city?

A. Calcutta
B. Boston
C. London
D. New York

2 What prize did the collection 'Interpreter of Maladies' win in 2000?

A. The Booker Prize
B. The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
C. The Nobel Prize in Literature
D. The National Book Award

3 What is Jhumpa Lahiri's birth name?

A. Nilanjana Sudeshna Lahiri
B. Jhumpa Sudeshna Lahiri
C. Mina Lahiri
D. Ashima Lahiri

4 In the story 'Interpreter of Maladies', where is the Das family visiting from?

A. London, England
B. New Brunswick, New Jersey
C. Toronto, Canada
D. Calcutta, India

5 What is the primary destination of the Das family in the story?

A. The Taj Mahal
B. The Sun Temple at Konark
C. The Ganges River
D. The Victoria Memorial

6 What is Mr. Kapasi’s full-time occupation?

A. A doctor
B. A school teacher
C. A tour guide
D. An interpreter for a doctor

7 How does Mr. Kapasi assist the doctor in his second job?

A. He performs surgeries.
B. He drives the ambulance.
C. He translates patients' Gujarati symptoms into English.
D. He manages the accounts.

8 How does Mrs. Das react when she hears about Mr. Kapasi's job as an interpreter?

A. She mocks him.
B. She thinks it is romantic.
C. She ignores him.
D. She is confused.

9 What physical object does Mrs. Das hide behind for most of the story?

A. A veil
B. A book
C. Her sunglasses
D. A camera

10 What secret does Mrs. Das reveal to Mr. Kapasi?

A. She has a terminal illness.
B. She is leaving her husband.
C. Her son Bobby is not her husband's child.
D. She was fired from her job.

11 Why does Mrs. Das choose to tell Mr. Kapasi her secret?

A. She wants to leave her husband for him.
B. She hopes he can 'interpret' her feelings and absolve her guilt.
C. She is drunk.
D. She wants to hurt her husband.

12 What happens to the slip of paper with Mr. Kapasi's address at the end of the story?

A. Mrs. Das keeps it in her purse.
B. Mr. Das throws it away.
C. It blows away in the wind.
D. Bobby eats it.

13 Which character is attacked by monkeys at the end of the story?

A. Ronny
B. Tina
C. Bobby
D. Mrs. Das

14 What is Mr. Das most concerned with during the trip?

A. The history of the temple
B. Taking photographs
C. His wife's happiness
D. The safety of his children

15 What theme is highlighted by the Das family’s behavior in India?

A. Financial poverty
B. Religious devotion
C. Cultural displacement
D. Political activism

16 How does Mr. Kapasi view his own marriage?

A. Passionate and loving
B. New and exciting
C. Loveless and silent
D. Abusive

17 What snack are the Das family eating during the car ride?

A. Samosas
B. Jhal muri (puffed rice)
C. Popcorn
D. Sandwiches

18 What does the camera symbolize in the story?

A. Memory and nostalgia
B. Distance and the tourist gaze
C. Artistic expression
D. Wealth and status

19 How long has Mrs. Das been keeping her secret?

A. 1 year
B. 8 years
C. 3 months
D. 20 years

20 What creates the initial bond between Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das?

A. Their shared love of India.
B. Her interest in his job.
C. They are distant relatives.
D. Mr. Das introduces them.

21 What defines the narrative point of view in 'Interpreter of Maladies'?

A. First-person (Mrs. Das)
B. First-person (Mr. Kapasi)
C. Third-person limited (focus on Mr. Kapasi)
D. Omniscient

22 What creates a sense of irony regarding the title 'Interpreter of Maladies'?

A. Kapasi is actually a doctor.
B. Kapasi cannot cure physical illnesses.
C. Kapasi fails to interpret the emotional malady of Mrs. Das effectively.
D. The maladies are fake.

23 Which stylistic device is used when the monkeys attack Bobby?

A. Flashback
B. Symbolism
C. Hyperbole
D. Alliteration

24 What word does Mrs. Das use to describe her condition to Mr. Kapasi?

A. Depression
B. Pain
C. Guilt
D. Boredom

25 How does Mr. Kapasi initially envision a future with Mrs. Das?

A. A sexual affair
B. A pen-pal correspondence
C. Moving to America
D. Starting a business together

26 What does the Sun Temple at Konark primarily represent in the context of the story?

A. Modern Architecture
B. The passage of time and decay
C. The success of the Das family
D. The beauty of nature

27 What is the significance of the Das parents calling their children by name (Ronny, Bobby, Tina) rather than using terms of endearment?

A. It shows they are modern.
B. It shows their lack of authority and detachment.
C. It is an Indian tradition.
D. It shows they are strict.

28 Why does Mr. Kapasi feel insulted by Mrs. Das's confession?

A. She calls him poor.
B. She reduces his 'romantic' job to a common listener of secrets.
C. She insults his driving.
D. She refuses to pay him.

29 What question does Mr. Kapasi ask Mrs. Das that offends her?

A. Is it really pain you feel, or is it guilt?
B. Do you love your husband?
C. Why did you come to India?
D. Can I take your picture?

30 The story explores the conflict between which two cultures?

A. Indian and Pakistani
B. Indian and American
C. British and American
D. Hindu and Muslim

31 What genre does 'Interpreter of Maladies' best fit into?

A. Magical Realism
B. Gothic Fiction
C. Realistic Fiction
D. Science Fiction

32 Which collection of stories marked Jhumpa Lahiri's literary debut?

A. The Namesake
B. Unaccustomed Earth
C. Interpreter of Maladies
D. The Lowland

33 What university did Jhumpa Lahiri attend for her multiple degrees?

A. Harvard University
B. Boston University
C. Yale University
D. Oxford University

34 In the context of the story, what does 'maladies' refer to?

A. Only physical diseases
B. Only mental illnesses
C. Both physical ailments and emotional troubles
D. Financial problems

35 How does Mr. Das behave toward Mrs. Das?

A. He is controlling and abusive.
B. He is passive and childish.
C. He is deeply romantic.
D. He is very attentive.

36 What does the silence in the car at the end of the story signify?

A. Peace and contentment
B. The unbridgeable distance between the characters
C. Extreme fatigue
D. The sleep of the children

37 What detail about Mrs. Das’s physical appearance is emphasized repeatedly?

A. Her traditional sari
B. Her short hair and shaved legs
C. Her gold jewelry
D. Her heavy makeup

38 Jhumpa Lahiri’s writing style is often described as:

A. Flowery and ornate
B. Spare, elegant, and understated
C. Chaotic and experimental
D. Aggressive and political

39 Who is the biological father of Bobby?

A. Mr. Das
B. Mr. Kapasi
C. A friend of Mr. Das
D. A stranger in a hotel

40 What does Mr. Kapasi notice about the way the Das family handles the puffed rice snack?

A. They share it generously.
B. They drop it carelessly, showing a lack of respect.
C. They save it for later.
D. They refuse to eat it.

41 The story 'Interpreter of Maladies' is primarily a study of:

A. War
B. Communication breakdown
C. Religious awakening
D. Economic development

42 What triggers the monkeys to attack?

A. Loud noises
B. The camera flash
C. Food trails left by Bobby
D. Mr. Kapasi’s car

43 Why did Mr. Kapasi originally learn so many languages?

A. To be a diplomat
B. To read literature
C. To be a spy
D. To travel the world

44 What is the tone of the ending of the story?

A. Joyful and optimistic
B. Melancholic and resolved
C. Terrifying and suspenseful
D. Angry and violent

45 Which concept best describes the Das family's identity?

A. Expatriates
B. Refugees
C. ABCD (American Born Confused Desi)
D. Tourists

46 How does Mr. Kapasi’s wife regard his job as an interpreter?

A. With pride
B. With indifference
C. She resents it because it reminds them of their sick son.
D. She is jealous of the people he meets.

47 What does the slip of paper represent to Mr. Kapasi before it is lost?

A. A tip
B. A potential job offer
C. A lifeline to a new world/relationship
D. A grocery list

48 The fact that Mr. Das needs a guidebook to understand India suggests:

A. He is a diligent scholar.
B. He is disconnected from his own heritage.
C. He is a professional photographer.
D. He cannot read Hindi.

49 What does Mrs. Das do while Mr. Kapasi recounts the story of his job?

A. She paints her nails.
B. She sleeps.
C. She listens intently.
D. She argues with her husband.

50 In the final line of the story, what is Mr. Kapasi observing?

A. The sunset
B. The monkeys in the trees
C. The slip of paper blowing away
D. His own reflection