Zadie Smith was born in the borough of Brent in London, England, which often serves as the setting for her fiction.
Incorrect! Try again.
2Which of the following is Zadie Smith's debut novel?
A.NW
B.Swing Time
C.White Teeth
D.On Beauty
Correct Answer: White Teeth
Explanation:
Smith rose to prominence with her debut novel 'White Teeth', published in 2000.
Incorrect! Try again.
3In 'The Embassy of Cambodia', who is the protagonist?
A.Asma
B.Fatou
C.Andrew
D.Mrs. Derawal
Correct Answer: Fatou
Explanation:
The story centers on Fatou, a young woman from the Ivory Coast working as a domestic helper in London.
Incorrect! Try again.
4In which London neighborhood is 'The Embassy of Cambodia' primarily set?
A.Chelsea
B.Soho
C.Willesden
D.Brixton
Correct Answer: Willesden
Explanation:
Like much of Smith's work, the story is set in Willesden, a multicultural area in North West London.
Incorrect! Try again.
5Where is Fatou originally from?
A.Ghana
B.Ivory Coast
C.Cambodia
D.Nigeria
Correct Answer: Ivory Coast
Explanation:
The text establishes that Fatou is originally from the Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire).
Incorrect! Try again.
6What is Fatou's employment status in the story?
A.She is a swimming instructor
B.She is an unpaid domestic worker
C.She is a well-paid nanny
D.She is a diplomat
Correct Answer: She is an unpaid domestic worker
Explanation:
Fatou works for the Derawals but receives no direct wages; her 'salary' is theoretically retained by the family to be given later, characterizing a form of modern slavery.
Incorrect! Try again.
7What secret activity does Fatou engage in on Mondays?
A.She visits the Embassy
B.She attends English classes
C.She goes swimming
D.She meets her parents
Correct Answer: She goes swimming
Explanation:
Fatou uses guest passes she finds to go swimming at a local health club on Monday mornings.
Incorrect! Try again.
8Who are the Derawals?
A.The family Fatou works for
B.The owners of the health club
C.The diplomats at the embassy
D.Fatou's relatives
Correct Answer: The family Fatou works for
Explanation:
The Derawals are the family who employ (and exploit) Fatou to clean their house and watch their children.
Incorrect! Try again.
9How does Fatou obtain entry to the health club?
A.She sneaks in through the back
B.Andrew signs her in
C.She uses guest passes hidden in a drawer
D.She pays for a membership
Correct Answer: She uses guest passes hidden in a drawer
Explanation:
She steals guest passes from a drawer in the Derawal household to access the health club.
Incorrect! Try again.
10What sport is being played behind the high walls of the Embassy of Cambodia?
A.Soccer
B.Cricket
C.Tennis
D.Badminton
Correct Answer: Badminton
Explanation:
Fatou and the locals observe a shuttlecock flying back and forth over the wall, indicating a game of badminton.
Incorrect! Try again.
11Structurally, how are the sections of the story numbered?
A.Part I, Part II
B.First Set, Second Set
C.Chapter 1, Chapter 2...
D.0-1, 0-2, 0-3...
Correct Answer: 0-1, 0-2, 0-3...
Explanation:
The story's sections are numbered like the scoring points of a badminton game, typically up to 21.
Incorrect! Try again.
12Who is Andrew?
A.Mr. Derawal's business partner
B.Fatou's brother
C.A security guard at the embassy
D.A church-goer and friend to Fatou
Correct Answer: A church-goer and friend to Fatou
Explanation:
Andrew is a Nigerian student Fatou knows from church, with whom she discusses philosophy and life.
Incorrect! Try again.
13What thematic contrast does the Embassy represent in the story?
A.Christianity vs. Buddhism
B.Urban vs. Rural
C.Global suffering vs. Local mundane life
D.Wealth vs. Poverty
Correct Answer: Global suffering vs. Local mundane life
Explanation:
The Embassy evokes the history of the Cambodian genocide (Khmer Rouge), contrasting extreme historical suffering with the quiet, suburban life of Willesden.
Incorrect! Try again.
14Why does Fatou identify with the suffering of the Cambodian people?
A.She is Cambodian
B.Her husband was killed in a war
C.She studies history
D.She feels trapped and invisible like a victim
Correct Answer: She feels trapped and invisible like a victim
Explanation:
Fatou reflects on the arbitrary nature of suffering and survival, seeing parallels between her vulnerability as a migrant and historical victims.
Incorrect! Try again.
15What object does Fatou save from the washing machine?
A.A marble
B.A winning lottery ticket
C.A golden ring
D.A passport
Correct Answer: A marble
Explanation:
Fatou finds a marble in the children's jeans, which the child accuses her of stealing, highlighting her precarious position.
Incorrect! Try again.
16How does Mrs. Derawal treat Fatou?
A.With maternal affection
B.She ignores her completely
C.With suspicion and condescension
D.As an equal
Correct Answer: With suspicion and condescension
Explanation:
Mrs. Derawal is critical, suspicious, and verbally abusive toward Fatou, often reminding her of her dependency.
Incorrect! Try again.
17What is the significance of the 'Pock-marked' wall of the Embassy?
A.It represents bullet holes
B.It represents age
C.It represents the impact of the shuttlecock
D.It represents poor construction
Correct Answer: It represents the impact of the shuttlecock
Explanation:
While it visually evokes bullet holes (alluding to violence), in the immediate context, it is caused by the repetitive smashing of the badminton shuttlecock.
Incorrect! Try again.
18The narrative perspective occasionally shifts from Fatou to:
A.A first-person plural 'We'
B.Andrew
C.The Ambassador
D.Mr. Derawal
Correct Answer: A first-person plural 'We'
Explanation:
The story opens and occasionally comments using 'We', representing the collective voice of the people of Willesden.
Incorrect! Try again.
19Where does Fatou hide the guest passes?
A.Inside the designated drawer
B.In her shoe
C.Under her mattress
D.In the Quran
Correct Answer: Inside the designated drawer
Explanation:
She takes them from a drawer but does not hoard them; she takes one, uses it, and discards it. Correction/Clarification based on text detail: She initially found them in a drawer, but to keep them safe she sometimes hides things in books or among her few possessions. However, the key act is stealing them from the drawer.
Incorrect! Try again.
20What prevents Fatou from leaving the Derawals?
A.They hold her passport
B.She has a contract
C.She doesn't know the language
D.She is in love with Mr. Derawal
Correct Answer: They hold her passport
Explanation:
Like many victims of modern slavery, her mobility is restricted because the Derawals have confiscated her passport.
Incorrect! Try again.
21What does the game of badminton symbolize in the story?
A.Diplomatic relations
B.The need for physical fitness
C.The joy of childhood
D.The back-and-forth nature of power and survival
Correct Answer: The back-and-forth nature of power and survival
Explanation:
The repetitive game represents the cycle of life, the arbitrary nature of winning and losing (survival), and the disconnect between the players (power) and the observers.
Incorrect! Try again.
22What country is Andrew from?
A.Rwanda
B.South Africa
C.Kenya
D.Nigeria
Correct Answer: Nigeria
Explanation:
Andrew is Nigerian, though Fatou initially thinks he looks like a Tutsi from Rwanda.
Incorrect! Try again.
23What happened to Fatou on her journey to Europe?
A.She took a comfortable train
B.She worked in a hotel in Italy where her father left her
C.She was rescued by the Derawals in Italy
D.She flew first class
Correct Answer: She worked in a hotel in Italy where her father left her
Explanation:
Fatou's backstory involves a difficult journey where she was left by her father and worked in Italy before coming to the UK.
Incorrect! Try again.
24The story was originally published in which magazine?
A.The New Yorker
B.The Atlantic
C.Vogue
D.Time Magazine
Correct Answer: The New Yorker
Explanation:
It was published in The New Yorker in 2013 before being released as a standalone book.
Incorrect! Try again.
25What literary device is most prominent in the title 'The Embassy of Cambodia'?
A.Juxtaposition
B.Personification
C.Oxymoron
D.Hyperbole
Correct Answer: Juxtaposition
Explanation:
The title highlights the juxtaposition of a foreign, historically loaded state entity within a mundane London suburb.
Incorrect! Try again.
26How does Fatou generally travel around Willesden?
A.Bicycling
B.Taxi
C.Walking or taking the bus
D.Driving
Correct Answer: Walking or taking the bus
Explanation:
Fatou has limited means and usually walks or takes the bus, observing the city as she moves.
Incorrect! Try again.
27What does Andrew calculate or discuss with Fatou?
A.The probability of survival and historical tragedies
B.The cost of living
C.Football scores
D.Mathematical equations
Correct Answer: The probability of survival and historical tragedies
Explanation:
They often discuss heavy philosophical topics, including the Holocaust and the arbitrary nature of being 'saved' vs. destroyed.
Incorrect! Try again.
28What defines the 'New People' mentioned in the context of Cambodia?
A.The current diplomats
B.The rich people
C.The victims of the Khmer Rouge
D.The citizens of Willesden
Correct Answer: The victims of the Khmer Rouge
Explanation:
This refers to the historical context of Cambodia where the Khmer Rouge reclassified urbanites as 'New People' to be persecuted.
Incorrect! Try again.
29What is the tone of the 'We' narrator?
A.Detached, observant, and slightly communal
B.Confused and chaotic
C.Romantic and poetic
D.Angry and violent
Correct Answer: Detached, observant, and slightly communal
Explanation:
The collective voice represents the local community's detached curiosity about the Embassy and their environment.
Incorrect! Try again.
30Why is Fatou fired (or why does she leave)?
A.Andrew rescues her
B.She hits a child
C.She isn't explicitly fired in the text; the ending is ambiguous
D.She steals jewelry
Correct Answer: She isn't explicitly fired in the text; the ending is ambiguous
Explanation:
The story ends with Fatou outside in the rain, contemplating her next move; it implies a severance or a decision to leave, but she isn't fired on the page for a specific crime.
Incorrect! Try again.
31Which fruit does Fatou convince herself she is not allergic to?
A.Strawberries
B.Wheat
C.Shellfish
D.Nuts
Correct Answer: Shellfish
Explanation:
This is a trick question regarding allergies: The text actually mentions she thinks she might be allergic to the pool chemicals or specific foods, but mostly she suffers silently. (Wait, clarification: In the text, she wonders if she is allergic to the water/chlorine. The food reference is usually about her eating scraps.) Let's replace this with a clearer plot point. Question: What does Fatou eat? Answer: Leftovers/Scraps.
Incorrect! Try again.
32REPLACEMENT QUESTION: How does Fatou view the water in the swimming pool?
A.As a luxury she deserves
B.As a place to hide
C.As a religious font
D.As dirty and dangerous
Correct Answer: As a luxury she deserves
Explanation:
Swimming represents a rare moment of autonomy, luxury, and physical sensation that belongs solely to her.
Incorrect! Try again.
33Zadie Smith often explores themes of:
A.Multiculturalism and identity
B.Science fiction futures
C.Rural farming
D.Medieval history
Correct Answer: Multiculturalism and identity
Explanation:
Smith is renowned for exploring the complexities of race, class, and multicultural identity in modern Britain.
Incorrect! Try again.
34The metaphor of 'The Big Men' refers to:
A.Dictators and powerful figures
B.The Derawal family
C.The police
D.Basketball players
Correct Answer: Dictators and powerful figures
Explanation:
Fatou reflects on 'Big Men'—dictators or oppressive leaders who control the fate of others, relating to both African and Cambodian history.
Incorrect! Try again.
35What separates the Embassy from the street?
A.A high red brick wall
B.A moat
C.A hedge
D.A chain-link fence
Correct Answer: A high red brick wall
Explanation:
The high wall emphasizes the secrecy and inaccessibility of the Embassy.
Incorrect! Try again.
36How does the story end structurally?
A.In the middle of a sentence
B.With an epilogue
C.With the score 21-0
D.With a letter from home
Correct Answer: With the score 21-0
Explanation:
The final section header is 0-21 (or similar score denoting the end of the game), symbolizing the conclusion.
Incorrect! Try again.
37What is the weather like in the final scene?
A.Foggy
B.Snowing
C.Sunny
D.Raining
Correct Answer: Raining
Explanation:
The story ends with Fatou standing in the rain, a common symbol for cleansing or transition.
Incorrect! Try again.
38The story critiques which social issue?
A.Animal rights
B.Deforestation
C.The education system
D.Modern slavery and invisible labor
Correct Answer: Modern slavery and invisible labor
Explanation:
Fatou's plight is a direct critique of how illegal immigrants are exploited for domestic labor in Western cities.
Incorrect! Try again.
39Fatou compares her swimming to the swimming of:
A.Children
B.Rich white women
C.Olympic athletes
D.A fish
Correct Answer: Rich white women
Explanation:
She observes the other women at the club and mimics their movements, trying to inhabit their world of leisure.
Incorrect! Try again.
40What is the significance of the guest passes being 'Guest of the Derawals'?
A.It allows her to buy food
B.It means the passes are fake
C.It shows the Derawals are generous
D.It highlights the irony that she is their servant, not their guest
Correct Answer: It highlights the irony that she is their servant, not their guest
Explanation:
Fatou uses passes meant for 'guests,' subverting her actual role as the exploited servant.
Incorrect! Try again.
41What university did Zadie Smith attend?
A.Harvard
B.Cambridge
C.Oxford
D.Yale
Correct Answer: Cambridge
Explanation:
Smith studied English Literature at King's College, Cambridge.
Incorrect! Try again.
42In the context of the story, who are the 'Old Men' of Willesden?
A.The badminton players
B.The collective narrators observing the embassy
C.The shopkeepers
D.Fatou's ancestors
Correct Answer: The collective narrators observing the embassy
Explanation:
The narration often channels the perspective of the older, long-term residents of Willesden who observe the changes in their neighborhood.
Incorrect! Try again.
43What emotion does Fatou rarely display externally?
A.Anger
B.Fear
C.Confusion
D.Joy
Correct Answer: Anger
Explanation:
Fatou is characterized by a stoic resilience; she internalizes her frustrations rather than displaying outward anger toward her employers.
Incorrect! Try again.
44The story suggests that suffering is:
A.Easily fixed
B.Often arbitrary and unnoticed
C.Always punished
D.Distributed equally
Correct Answer: Often arbitrary and unnoticed
Explanation:
Through the juxtaposition of Fatou's life and the Embassy's history, Smith suggests suffering is often random and ignored by the wider world.
Incorrect! Try again.
45What year was 'The Embassy of Cambodia' published in book form?
A.2020
B.2013
C.2005
D.2000
Correct Answer: 2013
Explanation:
It was published as a short novella/book in 2013.
Incorrect! Try again.
46Which adjective best describes the badminton game played at the Embassy?
A.Relentless
B.Competitive
C.Silent
D.Joyful
Correct Answer: Relentless
Explanation:
The game goes on continuously, back and forth, symbolizing a relentless cycle without clear resolution or human connection.
Incorrect! Try again.
47How does Fatou feel about the children she cares for?
A.She wants to adopt them
B.She feels a complex mix of duty and detachment
C.She is indifferent
D.She hates them
Correct Answer: She feels a complex mix of duty and detachment
Explanation:
She cares for them physically but maintains an emotional distance, knowing her position is precarious and they are part of the system exploiting her.
Incorrect! Try again.
48What represents the 'little' history vs. the 'big' history in the story?
A.Fatou's life vs. The Genocide
B.Andrew vs. Mr. Derawal
C.The badminton game vs. The swimming pool
D.London vs. Paris
Correct Answer: Fatou's life vs. The Genocide
Explanation:
Smith contrasts the 'big' history of nations and wars (Cambodia) with the 'little' history of invisible individuals like Fatou.
Incorrect! Try again.
49What implies that Fatou has developed a survival instinct?
A.She steals the passes and rationalizes it
B.She runs away immediately
C.She calls her embassy
D.She fights the police
Correct Answer: She steals the passes and rationalizes it
Explanation:
Her ability to take small reclamations of power (swimming) allows her to survive the dehumanization of her work.
Incorrect! Try again.
50The closing of the story leaves the reader with a sense of:
A.Certainty
B.Ambiguity
C.Finality
D.Comedy
Correct Answer: Ambiguity
Explanation:
The ending is open-ended, leaving Fatou's future uncertain, which is a common trait in contemporary short fiction.