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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 did the musicians leave the stage halfway through a performance of a mouth harp piece?

2. What did Salzman compare the solo wushu routines to when he was watching the athletes from Hunan Provincial Troupe?

3. At what age did Salzman first become interested in Chinese culture?

4. Who greeted Salzman when he returned from a weekend trip to Wuhan?

5. What was Pan's nickname?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How did Salzman try to put Mr. Gong's youngest son at ease during their drawing lessons?

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

4. How did Salzman's class respond to his reading of "The Lottery"?

5. What lessons did Salzman learn from Hai Bin during their calligraphy sessions together?

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

7. How did Old Ding express his desire to be friends with Salzman?

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

9. How does Salzman describe the last performer to come on stage at the Hunan Theater?

10. When did Salzman first become interested in the Chinese culture?

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

Why did Little Mi and Salzman find it necessary to hide the fact that he was bringing her home on his bicycle? What social constraints did they face at this time in China? Why would Salzman's foreign status damage Little Mi's reputation if they were seen together?

Essay Topic 3

What do you learn about Communist China from reading "Iron & Silk"? How does Salzman reflect on the political as well as the personal in this memoir?

(see the answer keys)

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