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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. Why can Toan be considered a 'rival'?

2. Why does Kien almost kill himself?

3. Why does Phuong accompany Kien on the train when they sign up for the war effort?

4. Where does the narrative of Part Four start?

5. Where do Kien and Phuong hide after their train was bombed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Kien hallucinate about his nurse in Hanoi?

2. What do the characters of Tu and Cam have in common?

3. Why does Kien refuse to sleep with Phuong before the war?

4. What musical instrument did Phuong play as a child, which indicates to Kien that she is a troubled soul?

5. What is symbolic about the farm that Kien and his comrades visit?

6. Who is Kien's first 'kill' of the war?

7. Why does Kien kill the Sailor on the Train?

8. Why was it lucky that Phuong and Kien missed the train just as war started?

9. What happens to Phuong on that train?

10. Why does Kien discover about his father's paintings?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Was Kien an unwilling participant of the Vietnam War? Did Kien support the war?

Essay Topic 2

Is the Vietnam War a character in the story? Explain your reasoning.

Essay Topic 3

Examine the character of Kien in the story. What are his strengths and weaknesses?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 416 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample