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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. One day, Bao-yu wakes with a feeling of _____________ that will not go away.

2. What character does one of the child actors look like?

3. What sound comes from one of Bao-yu's rooms when the girls are ganging up on him?

4. What addiction does Dai-yu discover of Bao-yu's?

5. Who dies at the end of Chapter 16?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How is Qin-shi's honor and devotion to family seen before she dies?

3. Why do the children move into the Prospect Garden?

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

5. In what ways are Bao-yu's intellectual abilities displayed in the events surrounding Yuan-chun's visit?

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

7. What is revealed about Xi-feng's character in the episode involving a servant woman bringing money to her?

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

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

10. What superstition in Chapter 21 is shown to be false?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Because he is won over and particularly moved by the story of the stone, it could be said that Vanitas (later Brother Amor) is the character readers should identify with most. Comment upon this idea, explaining in the process how or why the story is "not just another erotic romance" as the stone itself says.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

The central character of Bao-yu has a very clear arc of development. Discuss this with particular focus on the different levels of maturity that he attains and how he attains them.

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