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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 Vietnam, what was the payment for scrubbing laundry?

2. How many bedrooms does the house have that Ha and her family move to after living with the cowboy and his wife?

3. Where does Ha sit and scream after she is chased home by boys yelling "Boo-Da" (207)?

4. Who was Ha reading before she left Saigon?

5. What color bow tie does a boy wear who comes into the classroom when Ha is eating in "Most Relieved Day"?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What happens when Ha meets her school teacher?

3. What type of furniture is the house furnished with that the cowboy rents for Ha and her family, and why does it bother Ha?

4. What is it like when Ha registers for school?

5. Af first, what photos does Miss Scott show in class of Vietnam, and what photos does Ha think her teacher should show?

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

7. Why does Ha feel dumb at school?

8. What does the cowboy think will help Ha and her family get along better with the neighbors?

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

10. What does Mrs. Washington make Ha for the first sack lunch she fixes for Ha, and what does Ha think about the lunch?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Ha and her family have to learn to adapt to life in America. How do Ha and her family have to adapt to life in America, and why is it difficult for them to adapt?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 935 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample