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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 Yuan's lady mother react to his proposal?

2. Who says, "idealism and enthusiasm are not the same thing"?

3. During what season does the relationship between Mary and Yuan blossom?

4. What does Yuan reject about Mary?

5. Which of the following does Yuan bring back with him from America?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mary's father claim that Yuan and Mary are alike?

2. What reason does Mei-ling give for turning down Yuan's marriage proposal?

3. How does Yuan incorporate his love of the land with teaching? What are his student's reactions?

4. According to Mary's description, is Yuan enthusiastic or idealistic?

5. When Yuan is on the train to visit his father, what kind of people does he notice sitting around him?

6. What is the bad news that Mary's family delivers to Yuan?

7. What is Yuan thankful to Mary for as he leaves America?

8. Why does Yuan accept Meng's proposal to come work in the new capital city?

9. What evidence of social change does Yuan experience on the boat on the way back to China?

10. What is Yuan's reaction to the kiss he shares with Mary?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the benefits to the third-person omniscient point of view? What are the disadvantages to this point of view? What if another point of view were used to tell the story? How would the story change? How would it stay the same? What would be the best point of view to use if not third-person omniscient?

Essay Topic 2

How does China transform while Yuan is in America? Compare the three Chinas that Yuan experiences: the China before he leaves to America, the China he tells people about in America, and the China Yuan returns to. Cite at least three examples from the novel.

Essay Topic 3

How does Pearl S. Buck use foreshadowing to tell the reader what might happen in the future? What are three elements of foreshadowing cited from the novel? What did these events foreshadow in the future? What effect does foreshadowing have on the reader?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 900 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample