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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. When Yuan writes to his father from America, what does he tell him?

2. Why does Yuan dislike the 17-year-old daughter of the landlady?

3. What is Meng's occupation?

4. What do Yuan's reasons for staying at the home of the old tenants demonstrate?

5. What is Sheng's occupation?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Yuan so focused in his studies in America?

2. What does Yuan do when he sees the poor people outside the pleasure house? What does he think of the poor?

3. Why does Yuan seem to despise the American people?

4. How does Yuan feel when he is told that his father has arranged a marriage for him?

5. How is danger for the revolutionaries foreshadowed when Yuan, Ai-lan, and the lady mother are on the way to meet Yuan's uncle?

6. Why does Yuan have reservations about joining the revolutionary cause?

7. In what way is Yuan changed after the maid touches his hand?

8. What finally pushes Yuan to join the cause?

9. What reason does Yuan give for not being able to join the revolutionaries?

10. How does Yuan try to run away from himself?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Yuan's self-versus-self conflict influence his development as a character? How does this conflict affect his search for absolute freedom? Does Yuan find that absolute freedom is elusive? Cite examples from the text that support your argument.

Essay Topic 2

Choose two characters to compare and contrast. Compare their morals, motives, beliefs, and their conflicts. What relationship do these characters have, if any? Are they connected in any way? Do they balance each other? Cite at least six examples from the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the ways in which Yuan is like Wang the Tiger. How is this shown in his behavior towards others, especially women? How is this shown in the way he views tradition versus revolution? Cite at least three examples from the novel to support your case.

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