The Bite of the Mango

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-book review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. Mariatu says she may not have hands, but she has a voice. How does she intend to use her voice?

A) She intends to help prosecute the soldiers who hurt her.

B) She will become a college professor.

C) She will speak out for the people of Sierra Leone.

D) She will help all immigrants to Canada.

2. Why is Mohamed bitter for the first time?

A) He is jealous of Mariatu and her newfound financial situation.

B) He is angered by the people who stole money from Sierra Leone.

C) He too has been injured by the rebels.

D) He has lost his family to the rebels.

3. Why is Mariatu surprised to see the poverty and suffering of her family and friends?

A) The poverty didn’t exist when Mariatu lived in Sierra Leone.

B) The attacks of the rebel soldiers have become more prevalent since her departure.

C) Mariatu never noticed the poverty when she was living in Sierra Leone.

D) The family now lives in the refugee camp and not in her hometown of Magborou.

4. How are Mariatu and Ishmael alike?

A) Both are victims of the rebels.

B) Both are victims of the lackadaisical government in Sierra Leone.

C) Both have been adopted into Canadian families.

D) Both have had limbs removed.

5. How does Mariatu feel about attending school?

A) She is frustrated that she failed all her classes the first semester.

B) She feels like she fits right in with the heavy accents and mix of nationalities.

C) She feels as though she does not have much in common with the other students.

D) She worries that her limbs make the other students uncomfortable.

6. Why does Mariatu like Canada?

A) It reminds her of home.

B) She is fascinated by the concept of salt falling from the sky.

C) It is warmer than England.

D) She likes the various fashions and styles.

7. Which of the following is an example of Mariatu’s independence?

A) Her insistence on begging

B) Her rejection of prosthetic hands

C) Her dislike of Salieu

D) Her refusal to marry Musa

8. Which of the following is a result of Mariatu’s cultural background?

A) She believes England is gray.

B) She is impregnated by an older boy.

C) She feels guilt over the death of her son.

D) She has difficulty sleeping in a room by herself.

9. Which of the following is the best example of Mariatu’s growth over the course of the memoir?

A) She is resentful but finally becomes less so.

B) She is immature but gradually takes on adult responsibilities.

C) She is optimistic but eventually becomes cynical.

D) She is innocent but quickly reaches maturity beyond her age.

10. Why does Mariatu describe her prosthetics as demeaning?

A) She does not want to depend on someone or something else to feed her.

B) She does not think it is appropriate to add false appendages to her body.

C) She likes her body just the way it is without her hands.

D) She thinks the prosthetics are impractical.

11. What does the theater troupe represent to Mariatu?

A) A way to have fun with new friends

B) A discipline that gives structure to her life

C) A reclaiming of her stolen childhood

D) A way to escape her dire circumstances

12. Which statement shows that Mariatu has embraced both Western culture and her home country?

A) Mariatu says she will fight for the rights of the Sierra Leone people.

B) Mariatu describes the beautiful, gated hotel where she stays in Sierra Leone.

C) Mariatu says she can look forward and backward without any regrets.

D) Mariatu thinks about taking Mohamed’s advice to go far away from Sierra Leone.

13. What event changes the trajectory of Mariatu’s life?

A) The birth of her baby

B) Moving to the refugee camp

C) Musa’s confession of love

D) The article written by journalists

14. What does the memoir’s title, The Bite of the Mango, represent?

A) Mariatu’s journey of trauma and loss of innocence

B) Mariatu’s journey of fortitude and independence

C) Mariatu’s journey of love and belonging

D) Mariatu’s journey of accepting her circumstances

15. What is the significance of palm oil in The Bite of the Mango?

A) It is used in Sierra Leone to predict the future.

B) It is used in Sierra Leone to give people dreams.

C) It is an essential staple to the cuisine.

D) It is a sign that blood will be spilled.

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. Family is an important part of Mariatu’s sense of belonging. How does her relationship with her relatives change throughout the book?

2. At the end of the memoir, Mariatu decides that she must take a stand for the victims of Sierra Leone’s civil war. What key moments in her life lead up to this decision?