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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 food does Mitsuko ask Ben about in Chapter 5?

2. What does Mitsuko tell Ben "fine" means?

3. Where do Mitsuko and Ben go together in Chapter 31?

4. Which part of Houston do Mike and Ben live in?

5. Why does Mitsuko ask Ben for a ride downtown in Chapter 17?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Lydia ask Ben to do in Part I?

2. Why does Ben get so angry at the man directing traffic at the airport in Chapter 1?

3. How do Ben's family take the realization that he is gay?

4. In Chapter 21, what does Mike tell Ben he is trying to figure out?

5. Why is Mike leaving for Osaka, Japan, in Chapter 1?

6. In Chapter 15, what does Ben's father ask him that makes Ben realize how lonely his father is?

7. What does Mitsuko mail to herself before she leaves Japan so she will have it in America?

8. How does Ben feel about his mother's new husband and family?

9. When does Mike tell Ben he will come back to America in Chapter 22?

10. How does Ben feel about his job at the daycare?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Washington treat the theme of abusive relationships and their emotional consequences? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think Washington chose to split the book into two parts, with one written from Benson's perspective and one written from Mike's perspective? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

How does Washington build suspense about what has really happened between Benson and Mike right before Mike's mother comes to visit and Mike leaves for Japan? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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