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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. How much does the fellow traveler tell Wang Lung the sleeping mats cost in the city in Chapter 11?

2. Where does Wang Lung first observe young men in the city speaking of revolution in Chapter 11?

3. What does O-lan remark to Wang Lung about the child she has just given birth to in Chapter 7?

4. How is Wang Lung's uncle's wife described in Chapter 4?

5. How many sleeping mats does Wang Lung purchase to fashion into a hut for his family in the city in Chapter 11?

Short Essay Questions

1. What event leads Wang Lung to stop working as a rickshaw driver in Chapter 14?

2. What preparations does Wang Lung make when he returns to his land in Chapter 15?

3. What information does Wang Lung learn from others on the train in Chapter 11?

4. What information does Ching relate to Wang Lung when he returns to his land in Chapter 15?

5. How do Wang Lung and his family reach the city in the south in Chapter 10?

6. What do Wang Lung and his family witness as they pass the House of Hwang in Chapter 10?

7. What is depicted on the fliers that Wang Lung is handed in Chapter 14?

8. Where do Wang Lung and O-lan go on the second day of the New Year in Chapter 5?

9. What does Wang Lung's father complain about in Chapter 1?

10. How do Wang Lung's circumstances during the winter differ from those of his uncle in Chapter 4?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the marriage customs of early twentieth century China as seen in the novel. What were the expected roles of women and men? How were marriages arranged? How would you compare the gender roles established in this culture and society with your own?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of inequality in The Good Earth. What setting reflects this theme the most? How? What do you think is the cause of the inequality seen in the novel? Has inequality been resolved in China? In what ways?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author’s use of imagery, symbolism, and foreshadowing in The Good Earth. How well do you think the author creates a “vision” of its setting? What are examples of similes, metaphors, and onomatopoeia used in the narrative? How does the author employ foreshadowing to develop tension in the story?

(see the answer keys)

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