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. Why did Dr. Nie awaken Salzman one January morning?

2. What month was it when Salzman encountered a problem when he wanted to leave China at the beginning of the book?

3. What did Hai Bin tell Salzman that he thinks about all the time?

4. How did Salzman's students describe Comrade M?

5. What did the Leaders believe caused Comrade's M suicide?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did the Chinese students criticize about Natassia Kinski's lips?

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

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

4. Why did Salzman offer to get a book on Michelangelo from America for Lin?

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

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

7. What did Salzman perform for Pan after he first met him?

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

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

10. What did Dr. Li teach Salzman?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the role that humor played in Salzman's experiences in China. Did he value humor in his friendships as well as in his teachers? Why did he want to see his Chinese students loosen up? Did Salzman's use of humor in his teaching methods make for a better classroom experience?

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

Do you agree or disagree that Salzman is a writer who uses descriptive language to create vivid portrayals of the Chinese people he interacts with? Which scene stands out as an example of his writing skills?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 851 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample