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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 Natsuki's husband love to hear about?

2. What does Mr. Igasaki say he wants to teach Natsuki about at his house in Part II?

3. What does Natsuki ask to do regarding her grandfather's body in Part II?

4. What does Natsuki remember Yuu telling her when they parted ways at the mountain house?

5. What are there always large numbers of in the mountain house?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Part II, why does the family decide not to go to Akishina for Obon?

2. How does Natuski observe the dynamic between her mother and father?

3. What does Natsuki try to do right after her grandfather's funeral?

4. How does Natsuki feel about going to granny and grandpa's every year?

5. Why do all the adults in Natsuki's family get so angry and upset with her and Yuu?

6. What do the adults always ask the children to do at the mountain house when they first arrive which is part of tradition?

7. What childhood fantasy does Natsuki have in Part I?

8. What plan does Natsuki make to try to escape her misery?

9. What vow do Yuu and Natsuki make to each other?

10. In Part II, why does Natsuki's family go to Obon after all?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the expectations for both men and women in Natsuki's society, as Murata describes them to the reader? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

How does Murata demonstrate Natsuki's steady descent into a fantasy world, and what is the reason for this descent? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

What are the sources of both Tomoya's and Natsuki's unconventional views about marriage and childbearing? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 540 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample