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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. To what does this simile refer: "Sap ran from its cuts like crying blind eyes"?

2. From what point of view is "On Fathers" written?

3. Which of the following is an example of figurative language?

4. What rule do the "white demons" enforce that is problematic for great grandfather Bak Goong while he is working in the sugar cane fields?

5. Which of the following indicates that "The Ghostmate" is a fantasy?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe how the author uses personification in "The Great Grandfather from the Sandalwood Mountains." Give examples from the text.

2. In "On Mortality," how does the author make the reader sympathize with Tu when he is born as a deaf-mute girl child?

3. What is the purpose for making Tang Ao's capture so easy it could be done by women?

4. What explanation does the tale of Tu Tzu-chun give for the "Mongolian spot" in "On Mortality?"

5. How do the Chinese workers organize a strike against the railroad company without the "white demons" finding out?

6. Why does Kingston say that MaMa's arrival ends Ed's independent life?

7. Describe the tenets of the philosophy of living multiple lives until you learn an important lesson.

8. Explain how prior knowledge or a similar experience can help a reader understand the events that occur in "On Fathers."

9. Do you think this chapter "On Fathers" takes place in China or in America? Give reasons for your choice, citing examples from the text.

10. Describe grandmother's attitude toward grandfather, Ah Goong, citing examples from the chapter "The Grandfather of the Sierra Nevada Mountains."

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kingston provides several examples of the use of the color red by Chinese. What does the color red symbolize for Chinese people? In what ways do Chinese people integrate the color red into their lives?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the context in which Kingston addresses immortality in China Men. Do the Chinese men in China associate the Gold Mountain with immortality? Explain your answer in detail, citing quotes from specific chapters in China Men. Use other sources to find examples of man's search for or dream of achieving immortality. Are they consistent with Kingston's references in China Men?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, Kingston makes reference to the different cultures living within China, including the Cantonese, the Han, and later the Mandarin. Explain the references that the author makes to each ethnicity and provide the context in which she is describing it. Which one is Kingston? How do you know?

(see the answer keys)

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