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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 excuse does Keiko give friends for working part-time?

2. What is usually the last item customers take become coming to the checkout till?

3. What does Keiko have for lunch at the convenience store?

4. Which manager does Keiko remember was always slacking off?

5. What day of the week did Keiko get lost and see the new Smile Mart outside Hiiromachi Station?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Keiko goes to visit her sister, what does she think about her nephew?

2. When does Keiko have days off, and what does she do sometimes?

3. What reason does Keiko believe explains why Yakari thinks Keiko has changed?

4. Who is Mrs. Izumi?

5. What does Keiko usually eat when she is working?

6. How does Keiko describe herself and the world going by the store?

7. Why were Keiko's actions thought to be strange when she found a dead bird in the park when she was in nursery school?

8. What happened when a rival store closed down four years after Keiko's store opened?

9. What advice has Keiko's sister given her regarding how to answer questions about dating?

10. What does Keiko remember about the various managers who have worked at the store since she started?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Keiko works hard to fit in. How does Keiko work to fit in? Has her personality changed since childhood or is she pretending to have changed?

Essay Topic 2

Imagery is a literary device authors use to describe people in a narrative and the world they inhabit. Imagery involves using the five senses to describe individuals, places, and things. How does Murata use imagery to help readers imagine Keiko’s world?

Essay Topic 3

A new employee named Shiraha begins working at the store. How does Shiraha’s work ethic compare to Keiko’s? Why does he think working in a convenience store is beneath him?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 846 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample