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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. When does Ha write about the cowboy bringing her family fried chicken?

2. Who takes Ha to register for school?

3. What does Ha say in her mind when she is followed home after her first day of school in America?

4. What scent is the woman wearing at church who takes Mother and Ha to change into shapeless white gowns?

5. What grade does Ha have to repeat in America?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is it difficult for Ha to translate the sentence, "Jane sees Spot run"?

2. What does Mrs. Washington offer to do for Ha when she learns that Ha eats lunch in the bathroom at school?

3. What food do Ha and her family eat when they live with the cowboy?

4. In "The Outside," what does everyone do when school starts?

5. What happens when Ha meets her school teacher?

6. How do girls at school try to do Ha's hair?

7. What happens when Mr. Johnston takes Ha and her family to meet the neighbors?

8. What is lunch like for Ha on her first day of school?

9. How does Mother get some privacy for her own thoughts?

10. How does Vu keep busy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Some of the experiences in the author’s life mirror what Ha and her family experienced in Inside Out & Back Again. How and why did Lai fictionalize some of the experiences she and her family endured when they fled from Vietnam and settled in the United States?

Essay Topic 2

Imagery is a literary device authors use to describe characters in a narrative and the world they inhabit. Imagery involves using the five senses to describe characters, places, and things. How does Lai use imagery to help readers imagine the world where characters live in Inside Out & Back Again?

Essay Topic 3

In Inside Out & Back Again, some characters are more thoroughly described than others. Who are some characters that are merely named in passing or have a minor role in the novel? What is the importance of these flat characters to the storyline? In what way do these characters make the main characters more colorful or interesting? When there is conflict, what type of role do these flat characters play?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 965 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample