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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 says, "No matter how far you travel, you can never get away from yourself" (11)?

2. Where does Sasaki tell Komura to travel?

3. Who is Mr. Tabata?

4. How old is Miyake?

5. What is the point of view of "all god's children can dance"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Shimao respond to Komura saying that he's come a long way?

2. What did Junko learn about Miyake's family?

3. Why does Miyake like fire?

4. How did Komura's wife feel about Tokyo?

5. How does Shimao reassure Komura?

6. Why did Miyake call Junko?

7. What does Mr. Tabata say about Yoshiya's mother's pregnancy?

8. Describe Komura.

9. Describe Yoshiya's relationship with his mother.

10. How was Miyake connected to the Kobe earthquake?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Some stories, like "super-frog saves tokyo," blend reality with surreal elements. Analyze how Murakami intertwines reality and fantasy to communicate deeper truths.

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of bears in these short stories? Write about at least three of the bears featured in these stories.

Essay Topic 3

How does Murakami use music and literature as tools for characterization and theme exploration?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 479 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample