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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 is Hong told by the spirity of his mother?

2. What does Hong do with the letters from Ye Pan and the one from Meng Dafu?

3. What does Yeo do?

4. Who is Wei Xi?

5. Why do the two men leave Hong?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Hong tell the pirates about the letters he carries?

2. What happens when Hong visits a fortune teller?

3. What happens with Hong after he receives the message from Tang?

4. What happens when Hong goes to deliver his letter from Ye Pan?

5. What does Chen do that ends his friendship with Yuying and what does she do about it?

6. Where do the brothers finally stop after the Yellow River plain and where do they stay there?

7. What do the river pirates do when they board the boat?

8. What is available to Chen for a position, what is he considering and how does Hong feel about Chen making up his mind?

9. What is the examination in Beijing going to be?

10. Where does Hong go when he escapes the pirates and who helps him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of "The Examination" and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why "The Examination" is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in "The Examination". Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Bosse chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Bosse chooses the metaphors he does?

3. Discuss Bosse's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Bosse use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 3

The scholars are asked to write on a single question, supposedly composed by the emperor himself. The question is "What does 'good' mean in the social order?" Chen is torn, because his own personal experiences seem to conflict with what he has learned through scholarship. He begins to write about his own experiences from his journey, but changes his mind and composes an essay on what makes a good leader.

1. Why do you think Chen's experience on his journey might conflict with his academic knowledge? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

2. Why do you think Chen's experiences might be a good answer to the question about good? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

3. What influence do you think a good leader has on social order? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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