When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine

Page numbers refer to the 1999 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company paperback edition.

Reading Check

1. “[A] woman wearing a sari with her left arm extended” (Page 26)

2. When he gives her candy (Page 29)

3. She prays for him. (Page 30)

4. Carve a pumpkin (Pages 35-36)

5. Because she “no longer needed to” as Mr. Pirzada was now safely reunited with his family (Page 42)

Short Answer

1. After insinuating she is not aware of the history of the 1947 Partition, Lilia’s father is concerned that his daughter is not learning important subjects such as world geography and history in her American education system. Her mother is less concerned about her subjects from school, reminding Lilia’s father that they live in the US and that Lilia is an American citizen. (Page 26)

2. Unlike his wristwatch, Mr. Pirzada’s pocket watch is “set to the local time in Dacca.” Lilia realizes that since Mr. Pirzada’s family are 11 hours ahead, his life in the US is “only a shadow of what happened there.” (Page 30)

3. While researching for a report on the American Revolution in her school library, Lilia comes across a book on Pakistan. She begins to read and learn more about the country; however, she is discovered by her classmate and teacher, who tell her there is “‘no reason to consult it’” as they place the book back on the shelf.