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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. In Chapter 6, what color kimono is Lady Yuko wearing when she tells Nori there are people coming to see her?

2. In Chapter 7, what wing of the house do the girls sleep in?

3. What color car did Nori and her mother ride in in the Prelude?

4. In Chapter 1, what does Nori bathe in?

5. How long does Nori have to stay in her baths?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Akiko describe Nori when she goes outside for the first time since she came to her grandparents' house?

2. In Chapter 5, what does Akira bring Nori when he is gone for a week for a violin competition?

3. How did Kiyomi come to the whorehouse?

4. What type of baths does Nori have to take and how do they make her feel?

5. What is Akira's room like?

6. What happens when Nori's grandmother visits her in Chapter 2?

7. How does Miyuki take it when Nori is sold, and how do they say goodbye?

8. Where does Nori live at her grandparents' home, and what are her accommodations like?

9. What is Miyuki's life like?

10. In Chapter 3, what does Nori gain from her conversation with Akira?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nori cannot remember her mother—her memories seem to be blocked. What wall is keeping Nori from remembering her memories? How has the wall been a protection for her? When the wall breaks, what do her memories reveal about her mother?

Essay Topic 2

Metaphors and similes are figures of speech that are used to make comparisons between things. Metaphors seem to imply an equal comparison, while similes seem to imply a similarity between two things. Does the author use more metaphors or similes in the novel? How does the use of metaphors or similes help readers comprehend concepts? How does the use of metaphors or similes help readers make the writing more interesting?

Essay Topic 3

Nori enjoys listening to the rain on the attic roof. Why does Nori enjoy listening to the rain on the attic roof? Why does she prefer rain to sunshine? What does rain symbolize for her?

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