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

Short Answer Questions

1. What is there concern about when it comes to Jia Rong's status?

2. Who are the invitees to Bao-yu's birthday party?

3. What does Aroma urge Bao-yu to stop eating?

4. Who is the love interest of Bao-yu's newly adopted "son" Jia Yun?

5. Who helps Bao-yu with writing poems for Yuan-chun?

Short Essay Questions

1. For what reason(s) might Bao-yu have become discontented living in the Prospect Garden?

2. How does Bao-yu show increasing maturity in his response to the quarrels among his female companions?

3. In Chapter 20, how does Bao-yu show that he cares about Dai-yu?

4. Hypothesize as to why Bao-yu's reaction to Qin-shi's death so violent.

5. How do the servants of the house react to Qin-shi's death?

6. What can be understood from the relationship between Qin Zhong and Sappy?

7. How is the relationship between Bao-yu and his servants developed in the events after Yuan-chun's visit?

8. What is revealed about Xi-feng's character in the episode involving a servant woman bringing money to her?

9. Why is Dai-yu overcome with grief as she listens to the words of the actresses rehearsing in the garden?

10. How is Qin-shi's honor and devotion to family seen before she dies?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Because he is won over and particularly moved by the story of the stone, it could be said that Vanitas (later Brother Amor) is the character readers should identify with most. Comment upon this idea, explaining in the process how or why the story is "not just another erotic romance" as the stone itself says.

Essay Topic 2

Explore the relationship between "real" and "fantastic" worlds in the novel with a particular focus on The Land of Illusion and what influence it brings upon the main story.

Essay Topic 3

Is the author justified in including a large number of coincidences (for example Dai-yu visiting Bao-chai at the same time as Bao-yu, or Xi-feng entering the room just as Patience confronts Jia Lian) in the novel? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,135 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample