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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 Bao-yu drink while visiting Bao-chai?

2. What does Bao-yu do when the answer from Dai-yu is "no"?

3. Where does Bao-yu beg to go with Xi-feng in Chapter 7?

4. Who settles the boy in Qin Shi's room?

5. Why does Dai-yu get upset in Chapter 7?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Xi-feng hush Bao-yu when he questions the drunken servant cursing the Jia family at the Ning house?

2. Describe Bao-yu's relationship to alcohol in Chapter 8.

3. What is your opinion of Aroma's decision to allow Bao-yu to "have his way" with her following her discovery of his dream?

4. How does Bao-yu use family ties to his advantage during the events at the school?

5. Discuss briefly the ways in which Dai-yu's personality is developed during her first days in the Jia household.

6. Although the Jia family throws a spectacular birthday party for Jia Jing even though he refuses to leave the monastery to attend, much of the conversation centers on Qin-shi's puzzling illness. Hypothesize as to why this is.

7. Why would Dai-yu find it strange that Xi-feng appears to be in charge of household affairs?

8. What can be understood from the events surrounding the situation at the school in regard to other school children making fun of the boys of the Jia clan?

9. What thematic devices can be drawn from Bao-yu's relationship with women both during his dream and afterward?

10. In what ways is more of Xi-feng's character revealed in her thoughts about Qin-shi and her dealings with Jia Rui?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the central dramatic device of the novel, the love triangle between Bao-yu, Dai-yu and Bao-chai, and how it is used to generate conflict and drama and to maintain the reader's interest.

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following characters and discuss his or her relationship with and impact upon Bao-yu.

• Xi-feng

• Aroma

• Qin-shi

• Qin Zhong

Essay Topic 3

How is the framing story of the stone's background an effective foundation for the author to build the rest of the action upon?

(see the answer keys)

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