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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 is a xiuxi?

2. What was the topic of the lecture Salzman gave to the doctors and teachers shortly after he arrived in Changsha?

3. What occupation did Comrade M have before her death?

4. What problem did Salzman encounter when he tried to leave China by train at the beginning of the book?

5. How long did Mark Salzman live in China?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Salzman learn about Mr. Gong's past during his English lesson with him?

2. What happened when Salzman developed athlete's foot and needed medication?

3. How did Old Ding react the first time he saw Salzman?

4. Describe the contrasting ambitions of Hai Bin and Salzman.

5. Describe the martial artist Pan.

6. What kind of response did Salzman get from the class when they discuss World War II?

7. What did Salzman do with the fish Old Ding and his brothers gave him as a gift?

8. Why did Salzman give a gift to Mr. Gong's youngest son?

9. Why did Pan and Salzman spend the first few weeks of lessons staring at each other?

10. How did it come about that Salzman went to China to teach English for two years?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze Salzman and Zheng's relationship as master and student. How did Salzman improve because of his lessons with Zheng? Why did he decide to stop taking lessons from him, and what were the consequences of this decision?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the significance of Pan's final meeting with Salzman. Why did Salzman find it exhilarating? Why was Pan's gift of the sword meaningful to Salzman? Did it represent a change in they way Pan thought about his skills?

Essay Topic 3

As Salzman traveled around China, what were some of the challenges he faced? How did he resolve these challenges? What did he learn from them?

(see the answer keys)

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