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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. Who starts school at the beginning of Chapter 9?

2. Why does Bao-yu make a scene upon returning home from his visit with Bao-chai?

3. Who does Dai-yu learn she will be living with even though it is not customary for girls to live with boys?

4. Who does Jia Rui nearly sleep with accidentally?

5. What is the name of the summit at which the goddess leaves the extra stone?

Short Essay Questions

1. Despite his limited presence, what becomes clear about Bao-yu during the first few episodes that involve him?

2. In what way does Dai-yu express her jealousy and somewhat obsessive attitude towards Bao-yu in the beginning of Chapter 9?

3. Hypothesize over the influence Bao-yu's father has on him despite his consistently disapproving attitude towards Bao-yu.

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

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

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

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

8. How does the connection between Bao-yu and Bao-chai deepen in Chapter 7?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the characters of Dai-yu and Bao-chai. How are they similar? How are they different?

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

Explore the relationship between "real" and "fantastic" worlds in the novel with a particular focus on The Land of Illusion and what influence it brings upon the main story.

(see the answer keys)

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