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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. What greets Hằng when she swims to the island?

2. How does Linh react to Hằng's confession?

3. What is the surprise LeeRoy gets his mom's help for?

4. Why does the Communist quandrant leader get angry at Hằng's mother?

5. Why does LeeRoy think the girl at the rodeo is flirting with him?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the symbol of the butterfly mean?

2. Compare and contrast how Lan (Orchid) and Hằng deal with their trauma.

3. Why might LeeRoy and Hằng not be officially dating yet?

4. What could it mean that Hằng accepts a piggy-back ride from LeeRoy and giggles?

5. Why are Linh’s first words to Hằng significant?

6. What punishment does Mr. Morgan impose?

7. What does LeeRoy realize as he sits beside Hằng?

8. What is the significance of the Ferris Wheel?

9. How does Hằng’s definition of home change?

10. How does the book LeeRoy buy reflect his relationship with his parents?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hằng tries very hard not to remember the painful moments of her past and even when she tries to share a “happy” memory with her uncle, he reacts with grief. Analyze how memories of Vietnam and the journey to America influence Hằng’s decisions and emotions.

Essay Topic 2

Hằng looks, sounds, and behaves differently than the Texans around her. Examine the challenges and significance of language and cultural barriers for Hằng, right from the moment readers meet her in the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss how the trauma of the Vietnam War affects the lives of Linh, Cora, and Hằng. How do they each remember and understand the war? How has it changed each of their lives?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 977 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample