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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. How does Jing-Mei describe Mr. Chong’s eyes as always looking when she began piano lessons with him?

2. At the end of the story, Jing-Mei says, “After I had the piano tuned, I opened the lid and touched the keys.” How does she say it sounded?

3. Edvard Grieg is considered one of the leading composers of what era?

4. Jing-Mei describes Mr. Chong’s mother as having a particular smell about her of what?

5. What word from the story means coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the conflict that marks the climax of the story begin? How much time has passed since Jing-Mei’s performance at the talent show?

2. What theme connects “Two Kinds” to the other stories in The Joy Luck Club?

3. In what ways can the reader see early in the story that Jing-Mei’s ambitions (and her mother’s) are misplaced?

4. How does Jing-Mei respond to her mother’s offer on her thirtieth birthday?

5. How did critics receive The Joy Luck Club and “Two Kinds” upon publication?

6. How does Jing-Mei’s mother respond when Jing-Mei refuses to practice piano after the talent show?

7. Describe the narrative style of the story. Who is the narrator and how is her perspective defined?

8. How does Jing-Mei describe her life as she passed from childhood to adulthood? In what ways does she say she disappointed her mother?

9. What does Jing-Mei discover about Mr. Chong’s disabilities as she studies with him? How does this discovery influence her actions?

10. How do Suyuan Woo’s actions in the story encourage the wrong responses from her daughter? What effects does this have on Jing-Mei?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the song “Pleading Child” from Schumann’s Scenes from Childhood and examine the symbolism of this song in the story. How does this song correlate to Jing-Mei’s relationship with her mother? What does she later discover about the song?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the character of Mr. Chong in “Two Kinds.” What was Mr. Chong’s profession prior to his retirement? How old does Jing-Mei perceive Mr. Chong to be? Where does Mr. Chong live? How does Mr. Chong relate to Jing-Mei?

Essay Topic 3

Identify and discuss the elements of narrative style in “Two Kinds.” Is the story related in the past, present or future tense? Is the story told from a first, second, or third person narrator? Is the narrator involved in the action? Examine the different reasons the author may have chosen this style. What do you think it adds to the story?

(see the answer keys)

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