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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 are the university students required to work?

2. How does Mr. Ohba feel about the war?

3. When apart, how do the narrator and Sonoko communicate?

4. When Kusano is a soldier, what time does his family have to get up in order to visit with him?

5. What does the narrator lie about during his meeting for the draft?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the quote "The measure of a woman's power is the degree of suffering with which she can punish her lover" bother the narrator?

2. To get out of staying an extra day with Sonoko, what lie does the narrator tell her about his job?

3. What does the narrator take extra time to point out, regarding his feelings for Sonoko?

4. Why does the narrator want to stay in a hotel with Sonoko?

5. After the narrator kisses Sonoko, what does she expect from him?

6. What impresses the narrator about the refugees that he sees?

7. Why does the narrator offer to carry Sonoko's bag?

8. As the relationship between the narrator and Sonoko grows, why does the narrator struggle with "pangs of consciousness"?

9. How does the narrator feel after going to the brothel?

10. What event takes place that proves to the narrator he is capable of basic, human emotion?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The narrator goes through his life trying to convince himself and others that he is normal. What steps does the narrator take to appear normal to the following?

1) His classmates.

2) His family.

3) Women.

Essay Topic 2

Upon meeting Omi, the narrator is confronted with sexual feelings for the boy.

1) What intimate moment do Omi and the narrator share that begins their friendship?

2) What attracts the narrator to Omi?

3) How does this attraction affect the narrator?

Essay Topic 3

In spite of his attraction to men, the narrator finds true affection for Sonoko.

1) Why is the narrator attracted to Sonoko?

2) Why is she attracted to him?

3) What factors work against the success of the relationship?

(see the answer keys)

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