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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 long was Komura married?

2. What caused Mr. Tabata's death?

3. Who tells Komura the package contained something that was inside him?

4. What did Yoshiya pray for each night before bed?

5. What is the name of the man whose wife left him after seeing a UFO?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the story about the UFO that the women tell Komura?

2. How does Shimao reassure Komura?

3. What is one of the realizations Yoshiya has on the pitcher's mound?

4. Describe Yoshiya's predicament when he wakes up at the beginning of the story.

5. What did Mr. Tabata tell Yoshiya about his father?

6. What joke does Shimao make about what's inside the package Komura delivered?

7. Why were Komura's friends puzzled by his marriage?

8. Describe Komura's wife.

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Murakami made the intentional decision to use lowercase letters when titling the book and the short stories it includes. Why do you think this? How does this relate to the stories and themes in the book?

Essay Topic 2

Examine how Murakami portrays loneliness and the human desire for connection. Consider this theme in at least three stories.

Essay Topic 3

In each of the stories in after the quake, the characters are experiencing their own problems that coincide with the aftermath of the earthquake. Explain how Murakami parallels personal disaster with natural disaster.

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