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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 many miles off course was the escape ship when it was finally rescued?

2. What liquor did Andrew and Tyle drink together by their bonfire?

3. What was Andrew's father's name?

4. Which of the following is NOT something Andrew frequently thinks about when remembering the fall of Saigon?

5. Which of the following adjectives best describe Hung?

Short Essay Questions

1. What ties did Andrew's family have to Phan Thiet?

2. Who was Ronnie?

3. What personal history did Hung have with America?

4. Who was Wong?

5. What happened when Tyle joined Andrew at his nighttime campfire in Mexico?

6. Who was the first of the Phen children to die?

7. What happened to Andrew when the Indonesian freighter intercepted the fishing boat?

8. What did Viet do for a living?

9. What uncomfortable event transpired between Andrew and Viet at Turtle Fountain?

10. Why wasn't Andrew's mother worried during the family's escape by fishing boat from Vietnam?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Andrew's mother, and many other people in the memoir, relies on religious faith and superstition to orient herself in the world. First, describe Andrew's family's religious beliefs and choose two times in the memoir when they relied on their faith to get them through tough times. Then, describe how Andrew feels about religion and how his religious views compare / contrast to those of his family, particularly his mother. Be sure to include examples from the text to help strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Although he did his best to support his family, Andrew's father was riddled with guilt and regrets as he aged. First, choose two behaviors / events / emotions that Andrew's father regrets and describe them here. Then, using the previous examples, explain how one person's regret can affect and shape and entire family. How was this the case within the Pham family? Be sure to include examples from the text to help strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

At the opening of the memoir, it becomes clear that Andrew Pham is trapped between two cultures: his Vietnamese culture and his American culture. How does this struggle affect Andrew's personal history? How does this struggle inform the overarching themes of the novel? Choose two examples from the text that you think best exhibit Andrew's struggle and describe them here. How did these instances affect Andrew's personal understanding of himself?

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