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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is the man sitting next to him on the train is wearing?
(a) A pair of jeans.
(b) A suit.
(c) A rain coat.
(d) Shorts and a t-shirt.

2. What is Shinsuke very poor at when he is young?
(a) Concentrating.
(b) Schooling.
(c) Socializing.
(d) Singing.

3. What kind of milk was the founder of Rome raised on?
(a) Wolf's milk.
(b) Cow's milk.
(c) Goat's milk.
(d) Cat's milk.

4. Why does the narrator's father try to bribe the narrator?
(a) To keep him quiet.
(b) To give him some money.
(c) To get him to run away with him.
(d) To get him to ask his new parents to let him stay.

5. What does a traditional Buddhist funeral begin with?
(a) Chanting.
(b) Dancing.
(c) Mediatating.
(d) Crying.

6. What is the second story made up of?
(a) Diary entries.
(b) Textual fragments.
(c) Testimonies.
(d) Obituaries.

7. What are the nationality of the two men in the office?
(a) Chinese.
(b) Vietnamese.
(c) Japanese.
(d) English.

8. What does Shinsuke start to take a dislike of?
(a) Laborers.
(b) University students.
(c) Posher people.
(d) Prettier parts of town.

9. What can't the narrator concentrate on writing his article?
(a) His wife is nagging.
(b) He is too tired.
(c) He is worried.
(d) The baby is crying.

10. Why does the author say he has to stop the story?
(a) He has to sleep.
(b) He is full of despair.
(c) His ink is running out.
(d) His wife is calling him.

11. Who was the next of the narrator's family to die?
(a) His eldest sister.
(b) His grandmother.
(c) His father.
(d) His youngest brother.

12. What does the author say he wants someone to do to him?
(a) Hold him.
(b) Strangle the life from him.
(c) Tell him nice things.
(d) Shoot him.

13. What does Shinsuke blame for his lack of physical prowess?
(a) His father hitting him.
(b) His lack of mother's milk.
(c) His strict education.
(d) His poor posture.

14. What does the storyteller say Hanzaburo's legs are covered with?
(a) Spiders.
(b) Manure.
(c) Fleas.
(d) Flies.

15. What does the narrator say his mother was?
(a) A gorilla.
(b) A lunatic.
(c) A star.
(d) An angel.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Akutagawa panic about losing?

2. What was the name of the founder of Rome?

3. What does the author's wife say she has had a premonition about?

4. What does Yasukichi fill the eulogy with?

5. What does the critic call Yasukichi's writings?

(see the answer keys)

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