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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. Where was Helda from?

2. Which street does Henry live on?

3. Who shows up while Henry and John Kwang are together at the beginning of Chapter 12?

4. Who suspects Dennis's "friends" of being federal agents?

5. Where was John Kwang born?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Henry decide to not tell Dennis or Jack about who was really behind the bombing?

2. What sort of issues did Henry have as a child when he had to learn English?

3. How skilled was Mitt in the English language?

4. What does the Korean restaurant Henry and Kwang go to look like?

5. How has Kwang changed over the course of the story?

6. How do Henry and Lelia react to the fire at Kwang's offices?

7. What does Lelia think of the pictures they find in Henry's father's study?

8. What does Jack mean by saying that Dennis is not a "doing creature"?

9. What does Henry mean by saying that May is from "yangban" stock?

10. How do Grace and Pete treat Henry when they see him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Though Henry is not particularly religious, other characters in Native Speaker are. Religion is prevalent both in the poorer and in the richer neighborhoods of New York City. Write an essay that explores the theme of religion within the context of the story. Are different religions treated equally in Native Speaker? Which characters are the most religious? Which are the least religious? In which cases do the more religious characters pray to their god? What do they pray for?

Essay Topic 2

Lelia is plagued by doubts and problems at the beginning of Native Speaker. She flees to Europe in search of some sort of comfort. While she is there she has an affair with a man she never names. Write an essay that explores the problems Lelia faces at the beginning of the story. What is the state of her relationship with Henry at this point? Why does she hand him the list before she leaves? Why does she not return to Henry after getting back? What other issues does she face?

Essay Topic 3

The characters in Native Speaker love to eat. Many conversations in the novel take place over a plate of food in some diner, nightclub, or cafe. Write an essay that explores the theme of food and consumption within the context of the story. How many different locations do the characters eat in? What types of things do the characters speak of while dining? Why are these locations significant to the plot? Which of these places does Henry eat at the most?

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