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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 is Wang the Landlord?

2. When the soldiers arrive at Yuan's school, what are they searching for?

3. Which of the following is a common theme throughout the first part of the book?

4. Which character looks at the rich and fat with disdain?

5. Why are guards accompanying Yuan on his way back home?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 1, why does Yuan feel trapped?

2. Why does Yuan finally decide to learn to dance at the pleasure houses?

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

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

5. Why does Yuan sometimes make his homeland seem more perfect than it is?

6. After he finds out his father is sick, why do the guards accompany Yuan back to his father's home?

7. When Yuan watches Wang the Tiger warm his hands by the fire and sees how frail he looks, how does he feel about him?

8. How does Sheng represent tradition? How does Meng represent revolution?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mary describes the differences between idealism and enthusiasm. What are they? Which category does Yuan fall in? Why? Choose at least two other characters and describe how they are also either idealistic or enthusiastic. Why? Cite at least four examples from the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Describe how Sheng is symbolic of tradition and Meng is symbolic of revolution. Cite at least five specific examples. Also explain how three other characters are symbolic of either revolution or tradition.

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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