The Namesake Assessment Review

Read the following sentence from paragraph 1:

She told him she liked it well enough, though later, alone, she’d wept, thinking of her grandmother, who had died earlier in the year, and of the letter, forever hovering somewhere between India and America, containing the good name she’d chosen for Gogol.

The author uses figurative language in this sentence to reveal that....

• ...The letter failed to reach Ashima because it was lost in the mail.

• ...Ashima’s grandmother had hoped that the letter would unite the two cultures.

• ...The letter had expressed the last wish of Ashima’s grandmother.

• ...Ashima was too upset to read the letter when it finally arrived.

Answer explanation

"She told him she liked it well enough, though later, alone, she’d wept, thinking of her grandmother, who had died earlier in the year, and of the letter, forever hovering somewhere between India and America, containing the good name she’d chosen for Gogol."

The underlined portion of the quote implies that Ashima never received the letter, and "hovering somewhere between India and America" lets us know that the letter was lost as it traveled between those two places.

We cannot tell what the grandmother hoped for or if the letter was her last wishes, and even though the quote shows us Ashima was upset, it doesn't say anything about her not opening the letter.

The descriptions of Mrs. Lapidus and Gogol in paragraph 3 create a contrast between a —

• Strict principal and nervous kindergartner

• Dependable adult and playful boy

• Professional adult and an ordinary child

• Busy administrator and carefree student

Answer explanation

A. Strict principal and nervous kindergartner

B. Dependable adult and playful boy

C. Professional adult and an ordinary child

D. Busy administrator and carefree student

NOTE: Since the question asks for both characters, make sue BOTH descriptions work

Read the quotation:

"Not only is it a perfectly respectable Bengali good name, meaning “he who is entire, encompassing all,” but it also bears a satisfying resemblance to Nikolai, the first name of the Russian Gogol."

The author uses the word [ _ ] to suggest that the name Nikhil is inclusive of two cultures.

Answer explanation

Know what you're looking for: a word suggesting his name is INCLUSIVE OF (includes) both of his cultures.

This means that you are looking for a word that means "including/having multiple things within something."

HINT: check the dictionary definitions for words in the sentence.

Read these sentences from paragraph 3:

"She shakes Ashoke’s hand and tells him that there are two other Indian children at the school, Jayadev Modi in the third grade and Rekha Saxena in fifth. Perhaps the Gangulis know them?"

These sentences imply that Mrs. Lapidus —

• Has made assumptions about the Gangulis because they are Indian American.

• Has worried about how the Gangulis will fit into the Indian American community at school.

• Wants to reassure the Gangulis that Gogol will feel welcome among his Indian Classmates.

• Is familiar with the Indian naming traditions that the Gangulis follow.

Answer explanation

Correct Answer:

Mrs. Lapidus has made assumptions about the Gangulis because they are Indian American.

She assumes that they know other Indian Americans and/or may take comfort in knowing that they are not the only Indian Americans. You could also infer that she assumes all Indian Americans are alike/similar.

Which statements express an idea about society reflected in the excerpt? Select ALL that apply.

• People may make assumptions based on a person’s background.

• Confronting your obstacles increases one’s inner strength.

• Building consensus will lead to stronger decisions for a community.

• Children declare their independence in different ways.

• Parents are responsible for making the best decisions for their children.

Answer explanation

Correct Answers (3):

"People may make assumptions based on a person’s background." Mrs. Lapidus does this with her assumptions about the Gangulis as Indian Americans.

"Building consensus will lead to stronger decisions for a community." Agreement helps us balance our decisions, and we see how failure to agree impacts the relationships surrounding Gogol.

"Parents are responsible for making the best decisions for their children." This seems to be Ashoke's belief during the excerpt.

How does the author’s use of language in paragraph 36 emphasize a theme in the excerpt?

Select TWO correct answers.

• By showing why Mrs. Lapidus wants Gogol to pick a new name

• By suggesting that Gogol will adapt to kindergarten.

• By specifying the importance of a classroom environment.

• By exaggerating the power of nicknames in school.

• By contrasting the schooling experiences of Gogol and his parents

Answer explanation

By showing why Mrs. Lapidus wants Gogol to pick a new name. (Her reasoning comes from earlier in the excerpt.)

By suggesting that Gogol will adapt to kindergarten. (Shows him getting used to American schooling on his first day.)

By specifying the importance of a classroom environment. (The environment is shown but not depicted as the most important thing.)

By exaggerating the power of nicknames in school. (It shows that there are a lot of nicknames, not that they are especially powerful.)

By contrasting the schooling experiences of Gogol and his parents. (Shows the difference between Gogol's school reality and the expectation the parents had based on their own experiences.)

Based on the information in paragraphs 23 through 36, Ashoke can best be described as...

• ...Insightful and authoritarian

• ...Caring and critical

• ...Optimistic and irritable

• ...Compassionate and stern

Answer explanation

A. Insightful (perceptive) and authoritarian (a.k.a. tyrannical/oppressive; too strong of a negative word)

B. Caring and critical (meh)

C. Optimistic (positive outlook) and irritable (meh)

D. Compassionate (a.k.a. caring) and stern (a.k.a. serious)

Which quotation from the excerpt best supports the characterization of Ashoke in paragraphs 23 through 36?

• “No, no, it’s not a middle name,” Ashoke says. He is beginning to lose patience (paragraph 23)

• “Don’t be scared, Gogol,” he says, raising his son’s chin with his finger. You’re a big boy now. No tears.” (paragraph 26)

• Ashoke hands over the lunchbox, a windbreaker in case it gets cold. (paragraph 28)

• Ashima and Ashoke wonder, shaking their heads. But since neither of them feels comfortable pressing the issue, they have no choice but to give in. (paragraph 36).

Answer explanation

Correct Answer:

“Don’t be scared, Gogol,” he says, raising his son’s chin with his finger. You’re a big boy now. No tears.” (paragraph 26)

"Don’t be scared, Gogol,” he says, raising his son’s chin with his finger. = Compassion

"You’re a big boy now. No tears.” = Stern

The description of the setting in the last paragraph of the story suggests that Gogol will —

• Become comfortable with the routines of kindergarten

• Have trouble fitting in with his new classmates.

• Continue to feel anxious when he speaks to Mrs. Lapidus

• Change his mind about which name he prefers.

Answer explanation

HINT:

The setting being established is the classroom. It talks about how the classroom operates and the norms among the students.

Which quotation foreshadows the ultimate decision to allow the boy to use the name “Gogol” at school instead of Nikhil”?

• Gogol looks down at his sneakers. The way the principal pronounces his new name is different from the way his parents say it, the second part of it longer, sounding like “heel.”

• He thanks Mrs. Lapidus. “Be good, Nikhil,” he says in English. And then, after a moment’s hesitation, he is gone.

• She bends down so that her face is level with his, and extends a hand to his shoulder. “Can you tell me how old you are, Nikhil?”

• Though Mrs. Lapidus does not understand a word, she listens carefully, hears that name again. Gogol. Lightly, in pencil, she writes it down on the registration form.

Answer explanation

Breakdown: What is the question asking?

Which quotation foreshadows the ultimate decision to allow the boy to use the name “Gogol” at school instead of Nikhil”? = Which quote hints at the idea that Gogol will KEEP BEING CALLED GOGOL instead of going by "Nikhil"?

HINT: The quote should show the boy being more comfortable with the name "Gogol" OR someone calling him by/wanting to call him by "Gogol"