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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 does Bao-yu see sleeping with a girl?

2. What important event happens on the day of Jia Zheng's birthday?

3. What gift does Shui Rong give to Bao-yu?

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

5. What is Shui Rong's title?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Dai-yu overcome with grief as she listens to the words of the actresses rehearsing in the garden?

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

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

4. How does the family express their bereavement of and Qin-shi's death to the public?

5. How does Patience show her loyalty to Xi-feng in Chapter 16?

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

7. What facets of the relationships between masters/mistresses and servants are shown in the conflict between Jia Lian, Xi-feng, and Patience?

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

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

10. How do the servants of the house react to Qin-shi's death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of illness to the story? Discuss with at least three examples and why the author chooses to make these characters ill.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss whether the use of symbolism in the novel is effective. Make reference to the stone of the title and at least two other examples from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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