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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 does Kitty tell Oliver she has decided to do?

2. What is Eddie's final reaction to Su Yi's will?

3. What does Carlton do to make a romantic gesture in Part Four?

4. Nick's speech is cut from the funeral program in favor of dignitaries. Why is this symbolic?

5. Who traveled to Singapore with Rachel?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is a black pearl placed between Su Yi's teeth after she dies?

2. What was the small amount of money Su Yi had in her personal bank accounts?

3. How does Nick react when he takes Rachel to Chinatown for lunch?

4. What does Astrid's letter to Charlie say?

5. Why is Nick excluded from speaking at his grandmother's funeral?

6. What is in the letter Ah Ling gives to Nick?

7. Who is the Dowager Sultana?

8. When Eddie learns of Su Yi's death, he throws himself on her body and cries uncontrollably. What is the real motivation for his actions?

9. What does Isabel say in her letter to Astrid?

10. After Kitty and Jack Bing tour Tyersall Park, what does Nick tell his aunts about Colette?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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?

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?

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