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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 causes Pearl elation when she enters China?

2. How does Sam die?

3. What does the interrogator force Pearl to do?

4. What Zodiac sign can include being tricky?

5. What causes Joy to question the ways of the village?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Joy feel about returning to the Green Dragon Village, and what has happened to the village?

2. Who is Joy attracted to in the Green Dragon Village and how do the two interact?

3. With who does Pearl regularly correspond and how does she help Pearl?

4. What is the Great Leap Forward and what does China hope to accomplish with it?

5. What does Joy think about when listening to the propaganda about working hard?

6. What does the Prologue recount?

7. What does Pearl do every morning for a job and what does she find as she is performing her duties?

8. Of what do Pearl's housemates accuse her, and who seems to be supportive of her?

9. What does Pearl think about how she can get into China and who helps her?

10. What organization does Joy join in college and why does she end up in China?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The government clearly has no idea how to properly plant and maintain field harvests, and they have the peasants so full of fear of be labeled counter-revolutionary that they won't speak up when they hear the terrifying field plans for The Great Leap Forward. Had anyone tried to convince the brigade leader that planting wheat in a cornfield wouldn't work, he would not have listened to their argument anyway. The brigade leader grew up in the city his entire life, is illiterate, but managed to secure a high-ranking position in the new government.

1. Explain the process you think would have to happen to beat people down so far that they would plant a food crop that would not grow. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

2. What do you think are the possible problems that might arise from having a city person run a farm. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

3. What do you see are the problems that are caused by having citizens in a country so fearful to speak out over a plan that is obvious to them will starve the population that they plant the wheat without saying a word to the commune leader. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in "Dreams of Joy".

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of "Dreams of Joy". How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of "Dreams of Joy". How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of "Dreams of Joy", identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in this book. (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot.) Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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