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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. As Joncour and the boy travel from the burned village of Hara Kei, what are people doing in the villages?
(a) Hiding in their houses.
(b) Making food out in the open.
(c) Running out to greet them.
(d) Sleeping.

2. What does Joncour offer Hara Kei when he catches up to him on the fourth trip?
(a) Silk eggs.
(b) Food.
(c) That he will take the mistress and care for her.
(d) Gold.

3. What is in the sink at the house that Joncour buys?
(a) Bugs.
(b) Food.
(c) Cleanser.
(d) Dishes.

4. What does Joncour do in the house he buys?
(a) He empties it out.
(b) He cleans it up.
(c) He re-paints.
(d) He sits.

5. When Joncour gets off the train and opens the eggs on his way home on the fourth trip, what does he find?
(a) All the eggs smashed.
(b) The eggs are gone.
(c) The eggs are fine.
(d) Millions of larvae dead.

Short Answer Questions

1. In his later years, what does Joncour do once a year?

2. Where is Madame Blanche living at the end of the novel?

3. What does Baldabiou think Joncour is doing with the house he buys?

4. Why does Joncour travel north on his way home from the fourth trip to Japan?

5. Where is the event held that Helene and Joncour attend on the Riviera?

Short Essay Questions

1. When the young boy is hanged, why does Hara Kei say the boy was the message of love? What does he mean by that? Does this have anything to do with the boy's happy disposition? What?

2. Why does Helene pretend not to notice the letters when they are clearly in plain sight?

3. When Joncour's wife asks about the aviary, what does he say to her? What do you think she is thinking about her husband's actions? Do you think she is aware that something is going on?

4. Why do you think Madame Blanche wants to forget about her native language? Why does she make Joncour promise to never return to her for a translation?

5. On his fourth trip to Japan, what does Joncour find when he arrives at Hara Kei's village? How does he see the village? What is the state of the village a symbol of?

6. On the fourth trip to Japan, what does the young boy offer Joncour to get him to follow him? Who is this boy? Who sent him? Why is he in the village alone?

7. On the fourth trip to Japan, when Joncour offers gold to Hara Kei, what is he buying?

8. Why does the author describe the train trip so vividly returning from Japan on the fourth trip? What is the significance of the heat that Joncour sees on the fields and with the other passengers? What is he watching happening?

9. The letter describes a sexual encounter but eludes to fact that it has already happened? What does this mean?

10. On his final trip to Madame Blanche's, what does she tell Joncour about his wife that he did not know?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,332 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample