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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. When a wife starves her mother-in-law, what does her husband do secretly in one of P'u Sung-Ling's stories?

2. When Jen's wife's body is examined, what is noticed about her?

3. What is the pile near the mat that Huang notices?

4. Which of the following is NOT a method of Chinese punishment?

5. When Jen fights with the neighbor, where does his wife go?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Chinese law regarding adultery?

2. Describe Wang's surreal dream.

3. How does the boy that Ts'ui Meng befriended rescue him?

4. What do many women do after their husbands die in China?

5. What does Huang realize about Wang's death from her body?

6. What is done to placate Wang's ghost and why?

7. What does Li do to avenge the death of Wang's wife?

8. Why is Wang in a desperate situation after her lover leaves her?

9. Why is Kao made to pay for Wang's burial?

10. What happened when Wang woke up from her dream?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the significance of the book's title, The Death of Woman Wang? Why did Spence choose this as the title? Do you think this choice is appropriate? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Spence describes the practice of forced labor in T'ang-Chen. What are the conditions of forced labor? How does forced labor maintain the status quo in Imperial China? What rights do forced laborers have or lack? What freedoms, restrictions, and rules do they have?

Essay Topic 3

Spence is a master at dramatic devices. Describe the symbolism, metaphors, and irony present in Wang's dream and identify the technique which they embody.

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