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By Any Other Name

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 15mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What genre is the story By Any Other Name

a)

Memoir

b)

Autobiography

c)

Non fiction

d)

fiction

2.

Why were the girls sent to school after being homeschooled for so long

a)

Because their mother died

b)

Because their mother started having health problems

c)

Because their mother abandoned them

d)

because they moved to a new city

3.

What is the difference between a personal narrative, a memoir, and an Autobiography?

a)
  • Personal Narrative: A short, focused story about a specific event.

  • Memoir: A collection of memories centered around a theme or time period.

  • Autobiography: A chronological account of an entire life.

b)

Personal Narrative: A fictional story told in first person.

  • Memoir: A diary written daily.

  • Autobiography: A novel based on someone's life.

c)
  • Personal Narrative: A long account of someone’s entire life.

  • Memoir: A fictionalized version of a life story.

  • Autobiography: A brief moment or single memory.

4.

When told why the girls have left school, their mother reacts with

a)

uncontrollable anger.

b)

total indifference.

c)

calm dignity.

d)

intense fear.

5.

Santha’s mother and sister think she is too young to understand

a)

school rules.

b)

family tradition.

c)

the importance of a good education.

d)

anti-Indian stereotypes.

6.

How might the interactions between the English and Indian children be best characterized?

a)

Friendly and open

b)

Hostile but polite

c)

Playful and mischievous

d)

Infrequent and cool

7.

Why does Santha answer “I don’t know” when asked her name?

a)

She cannot translate her name.

b)

Indian names are hard for her to pronounce.

c)

She’s not sure what answer to give.

d)

First names are kept secret in India.

8.

How does Santha feel about “Cynthia’?

a)

Competitive, envious

b)

Detached, uninterested

c)

Loving, affectionate

d)

Friendly, casual

9.

What is the effect of the story's point of view?

a)

It explains how British rule affected Indian culture

b)

It personalizes British rule during the colonial period`

c)

It provides information about Indian family life compared to British history

d)

It offers a broad overview of life in colonial India before independence

10.

Read this line from paragraph 3. "The headmistress had been in India, I suppose, fifteen years or so, but she still smiled her helpless inability to cope with Indian names."


What does this line best suggest about English people in India during the time period the author describes.

a)

The English had trouble speaking the names of Indian and British children

b)

The English thought their culture and language was superior to India's

c)

The English ruled India and had been transferring teachers there ever since the headmistress had been stationed there

d)

The English tried to educate British and Indian children during their rule

11.

Which TWO ways that Indian children emulate the British cultures?

a)

The seat in the back of the classroom

b)

They girls wear cotton dresses instead of their saris

c)

They pass drawing back and forth to each other during their lessons

d)

The bring sandwiches for lunch

12.

How did the author respond to the headmistress when her name was changed?

a)

She accepted it quietly

b)

She protested

c)

She laughed

d)

She cried

13.

What conflict do Santha and Premila experience when they meet the headmistress?

a)

She disapproves of their Indian clothing and food.

b)

She changes their names to make them easier for her to pronounce.

c)

They want to take a siesta but are not allowed to.

d)

She does not want them to interact with the English children.

14.

What was the original name of the author before it was changed at the Anglo-Indian day school?

a)

Santha Rama Rau

b)

Premila Rama Rau

c)

Mark Twain

d)

George Orwell

15.

What event caused Santha and her sister to leave school?

a)

Other students made fun of their Indian lunch.

b)

Santha (and other Indian children) were accused of cheating on test.

c)

Premila (and other Indian children) were accused of cheating on test.

d)

Santha started to cry in front of her classmates.

16.

What is the author’s purpose for writing this text?

a)

To inform the reader about life in India under colonization

b)

To entertain the reader with a story

c)

To persuade the reader to adopt a viewpoint about India.

d)

To describe a process or event in detail

17.

Where does the short story “By Any Other Name” take place? And WHO ruled this place from 1858 to 1947?

a)

India, ruled by the British

b)

China, ruled by the Japanese

c)

South Africa, ruled by the Dutch

d)

Australia, ruled by the British

18.

What does Santha and Premila’s mother mean when she says “you can bury a dog’s tail for seven years and it still comes out curly, and you can take a Britisher away from his home for a lifetime and he still remains insular”?

a)

Dogs’ tails don’t change after seven years, but British people will change

b)

British people are NOT interested in other cultures: that is their nature

c)

Dogs and British people have many similarities

19.

(RL.2.4) Read the excerpt from the passage.

“‘Come along,’ she said, frowning slightly. ‘What’s your name, dear?’

‘I don’t know.’ I said flatly.”

How does the Rau’s word choice impact the meaning of the passage?

a)

It reveals the language barrier that exists between the British and Indian people.

b)

It conveys the teacher’s disinterest in her Indian students.

c)

It highlights the loss of identity felt by the Indian children.

20.

“By Any Other Name” can best be described as exploring the theme of —

a)

the effects of conflicting cultures on colonial countries

b)

the effects of imperialism on trade

c)

the difficulty in maintaining a sense of personal identity

d)

the difficulty in adjusting to public schools