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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 does Li-yan eat that keeps her feeling full?

2. What does Li-yan hope to learn from San-pa's mother?

3. What does Deh-ja have to do in order to rid her house of evil spirits?

4. What is every woman expected to do after she gives birth?

5. What tragic event happened in A-ma's tea garden?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is it ironic that Li-yan acts as translator for the village elders?

2. What is China's One Child policy?

3. Identify three superstitions and how they affect Akha life in the village.

4. What does receiving her headdress signify for Li-yan?

5. Why was Li-yan surprised her father asked about her dream?

6. What are the three styles Li-yan's brothers use to grow their tea?

7. What taboo act does San-pa commit when leaving Li-yan's village?

8. What makes Li-yan's mother different from the other women of their village and others in the area?

9. Why does Li-yan lie about her dream?

10. What charms did A-ma give to Li-yan and why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In A Dog On The Roof, the reader learns about the Akha people and their beliefs. What does the aphorism, "No coincidence, no story," (3) infer about the tribe's cultural traditions? What are the coincidences in Part I? Are they believable?

Essay Topic 2

The epigraph on page xi is about the births of a boy and a girl. What can you infer about Chinese culture from this poem? Why do you think the author included it? How does it resonate today?

Essay Topic 3

How does Li-yan react when she sees the land she will inherit? Why is the land important to A-ma? Does Li-yan have the same perspective about the land? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 651 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample