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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. Bo recalls how in the midst of starvation, his mother had sometimes been able to buy a small piece of what type of meat to share only with Bo?

2. A toddler-sized Bo is depicted as thinking, "YOU are not my papa" (115) after what event?

3. Bo says that when he was how old, his father had fallen in love with a neighbor?

4. Bui names Viet Thanh Nguyen as the winner of what sort of award?

5. In what location does Tam hide when things are tense in the house?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what time and place does the opening scene of The Best We Could Do begin?

2. For what purpose does Bui begin Chapter 2: "Rewind, Reverse" in a particular place and then change to a different era on the very next page?

3. What food always brings comfort to Thi and why?

4. What is the strongest emotion Thi feels toward Bo toward the end of her adolescence?

5. What are the qualities of Thi's memories about her childhood home in San Diego?

6. For what reason is Bo unable to teach in the United States, though he had taught in Vietnam?

7. How does the doctor respond to Thi's question about her child's birth?

8. What sort of tone does Bui use to describe Bo's parenting style?

9. What event within her adolescence does Thi describe as "living the dream" "for an immigrant kid" (24)?

10. Describe two different methods Thi uses to address her problems with Bo.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Could The Best We Could Do be classified as a coming-of-age story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Write a critical essay about The Best We Could Do while using the critical power theory lens of feminist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the memoir's treatment of gender roles, the objectification of women, female empowerment, misogyny's role within society, or any other issues related to feminist theory that can be found in the memoir.

Essay Topic 3

William Faulkner once famously claimed that the most important literature deals with the subject of the human heart in conflict with itself. Explain how the theme of Human versus Self is demonstrated within Bui’s memoir The Best We Could Do. Create a decisive, arguable claim and prove it with quotes from the memoir.

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