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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. Who comes out of the house in question?

2. What does Sarah say is all part of what Shanghai's all about?

3. Inspector Kung telephones Christopher with what news?

4. How does Christopher know when he has found the blind man's house?

5. What are the date and location of Part VI?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Christopher do after he is certain he and Akira have not been pursued?

2. What happens at the consulate when Christopher asks to meet with Mr. MacDonald?

3. How does Christopher spend his afternoon before meeting up with Sarah and Sir Cecil at the Lucky Chance Club?

4. What does Uncle Philip say happened to Christopher's parents?

5. What is Jennifer's proposal for herself and Christopher?

6. What happens to Christopher as he is finishing his lunch on the day he is to leave for Macao?

7. What vital clue does Kung reveal to Christopher?

8. What happens when the lieutenant tells Christopher that they must wait before continuing to Yeh Chen's house?

9. How does the man driving Christopher to meet Sarah prove to be very useful?

10. Describe Christopher's reunion with his mother.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

WHEN WE WERE ORPHANS is written in first person. Why is this the most effective choice for Ishiguro's purposes? Discuss the impact of first person on character and story development.

Essay Topic 2

What role does the advent of World War II play in the novel? How does the shape of world events parallel events in Christopher's life?

Essay Topic 3

Choose three examples of Christopher's perception of himself clashing with others' perception of him. What is the effect of this perception gap? Why do you think Ishiguro uses this device?

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