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. For what does Yuan-chun request octets be written?

2. What does Bao-yu call for an end for in his altered poem?

3. Where does Xi-feng's carriage briefly stop during the funeral procession for Qin-shi?

4. What happens to Jia Zheng's dislike for Bao-yu towards the end of the novel?

5. Who does Jia-zeng realize will probably be his only heir?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. How does Patience show her loyalty to Xi-feng in Chapter 16?

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

5. Why does Aroma manipulate Bao-yu in Chapter 19?

6. Analyze Bao-yu's interactions with his father Jia Zheng during the naming party.

7. Why does Jia Zheng finally start to warm to Bao-yu?

8. What does the way the Jia family undertake preparations for Yuan-chun's visit show about their character when it comes to money?

9. What is Shui Rong's impression of Bao-yu?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Destiny and predestination is a central theme throughout the novel. What narrative devices does the author utilize to maintain the reader's interest in this idea through an atmosphere of inevitability that pervades the novel's subtext?

Essay Topic 2

Explore the role of sex and sexuality in the novel.

Essay Topic 3

What is the significance of illness to the story? Discuss with at least three examples and why the author chooses to make these characters ill.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,019 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample