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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 important event is the Prince of Bei-jing present for?

2. What servant finds a lock of The Mattress's hair in Jia Lian's things?

3. During what time will Bao-yu be allowed to live with the girls?

4. How many people does Bao-yu share the romantic/erotic stories with?

5. Who does Bao-yu see sleeping with a girl?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is the relationship between Bao-yu and his servants developed in the events after Yuan-chun's visit?

2. For what reason(s) might Bao-yu have become discontented living in the Prospect Garden?

3. Why does Jia Zheng finally start to warm to Bao-yu?

4. Why does Aroma manipulate Bao-yu in Chapter 19?

5. What does the way the Jia family undertake preparations for Yuan-chun's visit show about their character when it comes to money?

6. How does Bao-yu show increasing maturity in his response to the quarrels among his female companions?

7. How does Xiang-yun's presence lead Bao-yu to think more highly of Bao-chai?

8. Analyze Bao-yu's interactions with his father Jia Zheng during the naming party.

9. In Chapter 20, how does Bao-yu show that he cares about Dai-yu?

10. What is Shui Rong's impression of Bao-yu?

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

What is the author's reasoning behind having such a large number of important and clearly defined characters? Illustrate your answer with examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

Explore the ways the author illustrates the divide between poor classes and rich classes in the novel and the various grey areas surrounding that divide.

(see the answer keys)

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