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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 do Nick and Rachel live?

2. How does Astrid greet Nick in Part Two?

3. What brings the members of the family together in the dining room?

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

5. Why does Kitty Bing have a party?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the Bible study group described in Part One, Chapter Two?

2. When Su Yi appears in the dining room for breakfast, what does her attitude convey to her family?

3. What kind of relationship does Nick have with his mother, Eleanor?

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

5. In Part One, Chapter One, what is foreshadowed by Charlie's concern about Isabel's missed doctor's appointment?

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

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

8. In Part One, Chapter One, what do you learn about Charlie Wu from his encounter with Eddie Cheng?

9. Why is Nick Young ambivalent about returning to Singapore to see his grandmother, Su Yi?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Su Yi was given a medal by the King of England for her valor during World War II. Why does Su Yi not seem to care about the medal? How does her attitude reveal what she truly values?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Not all the characters in the novel are fictitious. Why does the author include real people as part of the story? Does it affect your perception of the book? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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