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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 characteristic sets Victoria apart from her siblings?

2. What do the gossip columns, secret photographers, and spying symbolize in the novel?

3. What does Cassandra see in her email?

4. In Part Two, Chapter 2, Su Yi dreams about a priest who gives her a message. Who is the message from?

5. What pattern emerges in Astrid's life in Part Two?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Felicity react when she reads the gossip article about Isabel's attack on Astrid at the Bible study luncheon?

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

3. What happens when Nick arrives at Tyersall Park?

4. How are the characters of Eddie and Kitty similar?

5. What is the narrative perspective of the novel? Why is this perspective important?

6. What is Victoria's reaction when Ah Ling announces that Alexandra and her family have arrived to see Su Yi?

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

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

9. What was the reason Nick was not allowed to see his grandmother?

10. Su Yi dreams she is in Ranakpur, India. Who does she meet in her dream?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There are three generations of the Young family in the novel. How does a multi-generational perspective support the story's plot? Does each generation have their own problems? Compare and contrast the three generations.

Essay Topic 2

The storyline with Rachel's brother, Carlton, and Scheherazade Shang is introduced late in the novel. Why do you think the author included this relationship? How does it fit into the plot of the story?

Essay Topic 3

When Su Yi's will is read, the reader hears the thoughts of several characters. Why did the author include this first-person dialogue? What does the dialogue add to the overall tone of the meeting?

(see the answer keys)

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