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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. Where is Leila instructed to go after she helps an old man in the lobby of Leon's hotel?

2. Where does Leila go in order to find where Grandpa Leong's body is buried in the city?

3. Mah has a __________ that she wants Leila to taste and to take a jar to Mason as well.

4. _____________ understands that Leon needs time away, and is sure he will be safe on a ship.

5. Leila helps Mason bleed the brakes on the ________ he must deliver to his cousin.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Leila learn about Leon when she is making the rounds again of Leon's hangouts?

2. Why does Leon tend to keep old things, even if they are not useful anymore?

3. What is Zeke so excited about when he pulls up in the white Mercedes where Mason works?

4. What are some of the reasons why Leila's shoulders are tense, according to this chapter?

5. What is the secret of Nina that Mah decides to share with everyone for no good reason?

6. What does Leila smell when she goes to the Benevolent Association alone after work on Friday?

7. Why does Nina not necessarily share in the crush that Zeke has on her according to this chapter?

8. What is the one thing that Leon can not document when he is at the Social Security office because he has had so many aliases?

9. Where is Leon living after the death of Ona which has made him not want to live with his wife?

10. What do the girls do with the sqaubs when they eat them? What does Mah do with the waste?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The idea of becoming more American is one that continues throughout this story - sometimes looked at in a positive way, sometimes in a negative way.

Part 1: Why do you think that characters often want to become more Americanized?

Part 2: Why are some more modernized characters chastised for becoming less Chinese in their actions and behaviors?

Part 3: Do you think it's a positive thing for the American culture and its ideals to become so pervasive? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Fitting into the crowd is something that the characters in this story struggle with - some want to fit in and others do not.

Part 1: Why is it so important to fit into the crowd in life?

Part 2: Why do you think it's better to fit into a crowd than to go against it?

Part 3: How do you think the characters in this story could fit into the American society more easily? What might they do in order to fit in?

Essay Topic 3

The language barrier in the story is one of the significant roadblocks to some of the characters being able to participate in some processes of their life.

Part 1: Why do you think certain characters don't make more of an effort to learn English?

Part 2: Do you think it's fair to expect those from another culture to adapt to their new home's language? Why or why not?

Part 3: In what ways does the lack of language skill cause certain characters to suffer? How does knowing English help some characters thrive?

(see the answer keys)

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