View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What kind of tax did the Post Office require Salzman pay for his package of medication?

2. What skin problem did Salzman develop in the Fall of 1982?

3. What is the Chinese word for martial arts?

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

5. How many days did Salzman and his American colleagues go without mail before he paid the postal tax?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened when the policeman at the train station advised Salzman to put on a martial arts demonstration?

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

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

4. Describe the martial artist Pan.

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

6. What did Dr. Li teach Salzman?

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

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

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

10. What did Old Sheep fear about the suicide of a college worker?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 818 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample