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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. Where does Yuan-chun order that the girls of the house and Bao-yu be allowed to live?

2. After a night's sleep, who does Bao-yu wake up next to in Chapter 21?

3. Why is Aroma upset with Bao-yu in Chapter 21?

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

5. What is most important about The Temple of the Iron Threshold in relation to Qin-shi?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10. What does Bao-yu add to the book he is reading, and how does Dai-yu respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Destiny and predestination is a central theme throughout the novel. What narrative devices does the author utilize to maintain the reader's interest in this idea through an atmosphere of inevitability that pervades the novel's subtext?

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

"In The Story of the Stone, the keeping of secrets frequently benefits all concerned." In your perception, is this statement true or false? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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