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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 is the narrator's point of view?

2. How did Su Yi avoid being killed by a brutal Japanese colonel?

3. How does Astrid greet Nick in Part Two?

4. Why does Nick's mother want him to reconcile with his grandmother?

5. Victoria is anxious for her mother to do what before she dies?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the purpose of the three problems discussed in the Prologue?

2. Who is Oliver T'sien and what is his relationship to Kitty Bing?

3. How does Nick know his grandmother is saying she is sorry for opposing his marriage?

4. What does the reader learn about Kitty Bing from her visit to the dress salon?

5. What happens when Nick arrives at Tyersall Park?

6. Mabel Shang holds a grudge against Charlie Wu's mother, Irene. What is behind her lingering anger?

7. Who is Lucia Shang? How does her character fit into the novel's plot?

8. Despite her concern for her grandmother, where does Astrid go?

9. What kind of relationship does Victoria have with her brother, Philip?

10. Why does Kitty Bing lash out at her husband, Jack?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Vikram Ghale and Ah Ling intervene to foil Eddie's plot to isolate Su Yi from her grandchildren, Astrid and Nick. What motivates them to take action? What are the risks involved in their choices?

Essay Topic 2

Su Yi leaves large sums of money to the members of her house staff. Why did she leave such large bequests to her staff and not to her children? Cite circumstances that demonstrate how the staff feels about Su Yi and her family.

Essay Topic 3

When Nick finds his grandmother's diaries, he learns things about her past that were largely unknown to her family. What does Nick learn about her character? How does he react to what he learns? What effect do Su Yi's diaries have on Nick and his decisions concerning Tyersall Park?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 673 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample