View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Thi witnesses which person get spat on as he is called a racial slur?

2. Thi describes the city of Hai Phong by using what noun?

3. Bui tells Nguyen that she had gotten good grades and taken what other action in order to get scholarships?

4. Chapter 3 begins in what location?

5. Transcripts of whose voices formed the foundation of the memoir's creation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is one element of Ma's parenting that Bui depicts as being different for each one of her children?

2. What behavior of Ma's disappoints Thi in the memoir's opening scene?

3. For what purpose does Bui begin Chapter 2: "Rewind, Reverse" in a particular place and then change to a different era on the very next page?

4. What are the qualities of Thi's memories about her childhood home in San Diego?

5. As a young child, Thi imagines the lights of the cars on the highway as what other objects?

6. What is the strongest emotion Thi feels toward Bo toward the end of her adolescence?

7. What event causes a very young Bo to mentally disown his father?

8. Thi likens the way she feels at the sight of the surgical instruments to what scene from her childhood?

9. What sort of tone does Bui use to describe Bo's parenting style?

10. How does the doctor respond to Thi's question about her child's birth?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze Bui’s focus on the theme of family bonds in The Best We Could Do. What message is Bui sending about aspects of family such as closeness, loyalty, and a shared sense of identity?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Bui’s messages about guilt and responsibility within The Best We Could Do.

Essay Topic 3

Provide a thorough analysis of the ways in which the visual elements of the memoir amplify its emotional messages.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 870 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample