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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 city does Natsuki work in?

2. What does Natsuki's husband love to hear about?

3. What does Natsuki tell her mother about Mr. Igasaki?

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

5. How many siblings does Natsuki's father have?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Mr. Igasaki make Natsuki do early in Part II that is humiliating?

2. How does Natsuki feel her mother treats her younger sister Kise?

3. In Chapter 2, how does Natsuki refer to her town as an adult?

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

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

6. How does Natsuki's mother react when she tells her that Mr. Igasaki is acting inappropriately?

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

8. Why is Natsuki barred from being a pallbearer in Part II?

9. What is Yuu's problem with Mitsuko?

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

How does Murata describe the effects of Natsuki's mother's favoritism on her childhood and adolescence? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

What do you think Murata means to communicate to the reader about the dynamic in Natsuki's family by repeatedly having adult characters in Natsuki's extended family and who are friends or neighbors challenge her mother's harsh views of Natsuki? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing Murata's tone and language in this novel, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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