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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 does J bring Alexandra from the Steak 'n Shake?

2. How does Alexandra find herself feeling about Rob?

3. What does Alexandra's father do that causes her alarm in Part IV?

4. What does Alexandra's mother advise her to say back to the classmate who makes fun of her in kindergarten?

5. Who does Alexandra first tell she is quitting her job at work?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Alexandra think is different about the way people in Ithaca give directions?

2. Why is Alexandra so fascinated by Yamei Kin?

3. What does Alexandra's seventh grade history teacher say about Chinese people, and how do Alexandra and her mother react?

4. What is Alexandra's first impression of Ithaca like?

5. How does Alexandra's mother feel about her father continuing to call her?

6. What is Alexandra's new in-person job in Ithaca?

7. What does Alexandra's father do in Part IV that startles and scares her?

8. Why does J stop playing chess with Alexandra in Part III?

9. Why does Alexandra send J links to articles about diversity?

10. Why does the professor's offer to Alexandra to teach at her university really insult Alexandra?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is Alexandra's relationship to work in general, and how does she feel about work once she moves to Ithaca? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Alexandra experiences conflicted feelings about her work at the tech publication in the early stages of this novel. Write an essay exploring Alexandra's feelings about her work in the beginning of the novel, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Alexandra really take her trip to China after some months in Ithaca? What do you think she hopes to discover or learn there? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 621 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample