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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. On page 12, which book from his childhood does Ethan remember thinking about?

2. Where does Ethan fall in love with his then-partner, Tony?

3. After Veronica leaves Joe's apartment, what does he think about?

4. How does Joe's high school girlfriend's husband die?

5. Where does Joe's mother send his brother, Jack?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Veronica described when Joe discusses Veronica's family and her growing up in Queens?

2. At the beginning of Chapter 2, how can Joe's relationship with his high school girlfriend, Veronica, be described?

3. After Gil suffers from a second stroke, where does he go and who takes care of him?

4. Why does Gil refuse Nok's request to send Jack to a private school?

5. Why does Schuyler's brother, Tad, phone Maribel after Schuyler's death?

6. Describe the family's first encounter with Nok and her family in Queens.

7. What secret does Ethan and his family learn about Gil?

8. How does Maribel describe how she feels after becoming romantically involved with Schuyler?

9. What surprises Joe about Veronica's relationship and marriage to Schuyler, her husband?

10. After Ethan phones his mother to say Gil probably missed her, how does Abby react?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Growing up, Ethan's father often traveled to Thailand, and many other Asian countries, for work. Travel is a prominent theme throughout the novel. Select 2-3 characters from the novel and explain how travel affected their relationships with themselves, family members, and romantic partners.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing the differences between Tara being raised in Kathmandu versus California and New York. How does the role of money change their happiness in two different places?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing Joe's mother's idea of happiness. How did she imagine her sons to be the happiest?

(see the answer keys)

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