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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. Why is it several days before the survivors of Hiroshima know about the bomb dropped on Hiroshima?

2. What is Miss Sasaki told before she is lifted to a relief station?

3. Where does Mrs. Nakamura and her children go to after leaving the park?

4. In Chapter 2, the author writes that most people in Hiroshima were too busy or too weary or too badly hurt to do what?

5. What are the people at Asano Park promised by a young officer?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the views of the people of Hiroshima about the ethics of using the bomb?

2. Who does Mr. Tanimoto keep trying to avoid at the park?

3. What theory does Dr. Sasaki and his colleagues at the Red Cross Hospital make about the first stage of the radiation disease?

4. In trying to rescue the 20 or so men and women in the sandpit, what makes Mr. Tanimoto sick?

5. After he feels better, why is Father Kleinsorge able to enjoy himself at the hospital in Tokyo?

6. What affect does Father Kleinsorge's answers to Miss Sasaki's questions about life have on her health?

7. What are the Japanese physicists' concern about the bomb and what do they do about it?

8. How do the Japanese react to their Emperor's radio broadcast?

9. Outside, what is the condition of the Red Cross Hospital?

10. Describe Mr. Tanaka.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

John Hersey portrays the lives of six survivors of the atomic bomb.

1. Does Hersey give equal content to each character's story in the book or does there seem to be a preference over one or the other? Cite examples to prove your theory.

2. Why were these six characters chosen for the book? What similarities and differences do they possess that enables the story to be told effectively?

Essay Topic 2

Hiroshima bomb victims experience various types of discrimination.

1. Discuss which characters suffered the most discrimination and describe the type of discrimination they experienced.

2. How did some of the characters overcome the discrimination shown to the atomic bomb victims?

3. Did the discrimination continue with the next generation, the victims' children, or did society change its views by then? Cite three examples that support your theory.

Essay Topic 3

Of the six characters, Dr. Fujii is the one least affected physically by the bombing and the Reverend Tanimoto's experience is the exact opposite.

Part 1) Compare and contrast the two men's ailments or lack of after the bombing and up until their death.

Part 2) What types of lifestyles do these men have after the war is over?

(see the answer keys)

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