Q & A

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Prologue

Reading Check

1. What is known as Asia’s biggest slum?

2. What does Thomas do for a living?

3. Who is the producer of Who Will Win a Billion?

4. What is the name of the investigating officer on Thomas’s case?

5. Who claims to be Thomas’s lawyer?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why has the producer of Who Will Win a Billion accused Thomas of cheating?

2. What observation does Inspector Godbole make about Thomas’s name?

Paired Resource

Mumbai and the Dharavi Slums

• This 25-minute video reveals the differences in dwellings in Mumbai based on income.
• It connects to the theme of Differences in Social Class.
• Why is Dharavi considered the biggest slum in Asia? How have some of the residents overcome their circumstances? Why do wealthier residents live near the top of skyscrapers in Mumbai? Why are newer constructions in Mumbai taller rather than wider? What are construction companies required by law to do before building in the slums? 

Chapters 1-3

Reading Check

1. Who is Salim’s favorite actor?

2. Where do Salim and Thomas encounter Salim’s favorite actor?

3. Where was Thomas abandoned as a child?

4. What did Mr. Shantaram do before losing his job?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Thomas know the answer to the first question on the game show?

2. What happens to Thomas after he is adopted at two years old?

3. Why does Thomas have a name that mixes religions?

4. How does Father Timothy die?

5. How does Gudiya become injured?

6. How does Thomas know what the smallest planet is on the game show?

Chapters 4-7

Reading Check

1. Who is the deputy of the juvenile home Thomas lives in?

2. What is Thomas’s advantage over the other boys in the juvenile home?

3. What is Colonel Taylor’s occupation?

4. How does Julie remove Rao’s brother as the director of his company?

5. Where is Thomas when the money he earned from the colonel is stolen?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What does Thomas learn about the school for crippled children Maman runs?

2. How does Thomas know about Surdas?

3. How does Thomas learn about persona non grata?

Paired Resource

“The Origins of Hindu-Muslim Conflict in South Asia”

• This article explains several theories about the emergence of the Hindu-Muslim conflicts in India. 
• Who is often blamed for conflicts between Hindus and Muslims in India? Why do some refute this claim? What argument supports a precolonial stance for religious conflicts? What is the claim of the author regarding the cause of the conflict between the two religions? How is this article related to the novel’s theme of Religious Tensions?

Chapters 8-12

Reading Check

1. Who do the people in the chawl decide to plead with to give Balwant Singh his reward for fighting in the war between India and Pakistan?

2. What is Salim pursuing a career in after leaving his job as a tiffin deliverer?

3. What role does Kumari fill in Thomas’s life?

4. How does Kumari die?

5. What is Thomas’s alias?

6. What illness does Shankra die from?

7. Who is Smita revealed to be?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Thomas know the amount of the highest reward for gallantry in the Indian armed forces?

2. What does Salim realize about Khan after he begins working for him?

3. How does Thomas learn about cricket?

4. How does Thomas give the correct answer about the Shakespearean play?

5. What is Thomas’s motive for going on the game show?

Paired Resource

Bedia Tribes in India

• This article describes the Bedia community and its connection to sex work. (Content Warning: This information may not be appropriate for all students.)
• Why did the Bedia community begin to engage in sex work? How do other communities view the Bedias? What was the effect of colonialism on the Bedia community? What are the four reasons for sex work according to Hughes? How is this article related to the novel’s themes of Differences in Social Class and The Savior Complex?

The Taj Mahal

• This 6-minute video describes the Taj Mahal and how it was designed.
• Why was the Taj Mahal built? What styles are blended into the creation of the Taj Mahal? How is the Taj Mahal’s blend of styles related to Thomas’s own identity? How is this article related to the novel’s theme of Religious Tensions?

Epilogue

Reading Check

1. How does Prem Kumar die?

2. Who does Thomas marry?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Did Thomas cheat to win the money from the game show? Explain.

2. What is the moral of Thomas’s story?

Recommended Next Reads 

Forrest Gump by Winston Groom

• This novel is about a man with an intellectual disability who lives a fantastic life solving genius-level problems.
• Shared topics include moral dilemmas, rags-to-riches, and biographical fiction.
• Shared themes include Religious Tensions and The Savior Complex.
• Forrest Gump on SuperSummary

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

• This novel is about two boys from different social classes in Afghanistan and the collision of their families after they become adults.
• Shared topics include complicated family dynamics, actions and consequences, and cultural differences.
• Shared themes include Differences in Social Class and Religious Tensions.
• The Kite Runner on SuperSummary