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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. Which details from the text imply that Father is a successful business man?

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

3. Which anti-Chinese law comes first?

4. Who is the author speaking or writing to in the beginning of "The Father from China"?

5. How many times does Ah Goong go to Gold Mountain?

Short Essay Questions

1. Compare and contrast the tales that Kingston makes up about how her father gets to America.

2. Why would Tang beg to have the bandages replaced tightly after having the them removed from his feet?

3. Tell what the Four Valuable Things are and explain their importance to the Chinese culture.

4. Explain how the author uses foreshadowing in the first two lines of "On Mortality."

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

6. Describe the basis of the queue tax.

7. Describe how the widow in "The Ghostmate" uses the young man's talents against him.

8. Explain the progression of laws that at first limited Chinese family members from entering the U.S. to the laws that allowed them entry whether the quota had been met or not.

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

10. Provide examples from "The Ghostmate" of vivid imagery that reveals the man's mood as he heads back to his childhood home. Is the young man happy or sad?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Identify the folktales Kingston uses throughout China Men. For each one, describe how it is used to move along the plot in Kingston's novel. Study the Table of Contents to see where and how often the alternative genre is used. Do the tales foreshadow upcoming events? Do the fantasy stories serve to illustrate key points the author is trying to convey? Display your responses in a creative way that connects the ideas and patterns you discovered.

Essay Topic 2

Note instances in China Men when Kingston relates events about her Father having nightmares. Identify the family's situation at the time Father is having nightmares. Consider the reasons MaMa gives for Father awakening screaming in the middle of the night. How are the children affected by Father's nightmares? What do the children think is the cause of their Father's bad dreams? What is your opinion about the cause and effects of Father's nightmares?

Essay Topic 3

Study the immigration laws currently on the books in the United States. Compare them to "The Laws" the author describes in that chapter. Verify the accuracy of the laws Kingston describes. Note that some of the laws address California immigration, and others were passed by the federal government. How have the laws changed since Kingston wrote this novel in 1977? Do you think the changes have been positive or negative? How do the modern laws affect different people?

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