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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 does the torturer do after he pushes Julien to the floor?

2. What does Scott clean in this section?

3. What does Rashid say they teach the children?

4. With whose funeral does Karen become obsessed?

5. What is the name of the boy Karen befriends?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rashid say about Chairman Mao?

2. What does Brita see from her bombed out apartment at the end of this section?

3. What does Karen think about on the plane?

4. Why is it unlikely anyone will identify Bill's body?

5. What does Bill realize about his writing in this section?

6. Summarize the novel.

7. What does Karen watch on TV at Brita's apartment?

8. What do Karen and Scott do the following day?

9. How does Bill die in this section?

10. For what does Scott tell Karen they need to prepare?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the author's writing style. How would you describe the author's prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? What meaning does the author's style give to the story?

Essay Topic 2

Pick a character from the book and discuss his or her goals and motives. Do they achieve their motive? Do they share similar goals and motives with other characters? Do their goals clash with other characters? How do the characters' goals and motives affect their interaction with each other?

Essay Topic 3

Identify the main themes of the story. In what way are these themes relevant to the period? How does the author use character and setting to express these themes?

(see the answer keys)

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