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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 Zergeyev promise to send to Dirk and Longstaff?

2. Why is Longstaff tired of Hong Kong?

3. In Dirk's dispatch to Robb, what does he instruct Robb to do in Hong Kong?

4. Who halts all trade between the Chinese and the foreigners?

5. The emperor offers Wu Fang Choi mandarinates if he attacks what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Sarah tell Dirk about Robb's last message to him?

2. Why does May-may think Tess and Culum should marry as quickly as possible?

3. What are the stakes in the wager that Dirk and Zergeyev make on the prize fight?

4. When Brock is dressing for the ball, what does he try to hide from Liza?

5. What is Dirk's reason for firing Captain Perry?

6. Why does Brock panic when Dirk pays his debt to Brock in silver?

7. How does Brock know about Dirk's financial problems?

8. Why doesn't Dirk want to move their operations out of Happy Valley?

9. What does Dirk do to keep the bullion on board his ship a secret when he reaches Hong Kong?

10. Who are the three people that Dirk must send to England to receive an English education.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Tyler Brock fit the role of antagonist in this novel? Is he the only antagonist? If so, why? If not, who else can be seen as an antagonist and why?

Essay Topic 2

What examples of marriage are portrayed in Tai-Pan? What seems to be the overall view of marriage based on these examples? Does the author use marriages with a purpose in mind? What is the purpose?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the culture clash between the English and the Chinese people in this novel. Where do we see the clash? How does the clash affect the events of the story?

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This section contains 618 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample