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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Kazu walked the earth around Shino-bazu Pond the last time he had to evacuate Ueno Park and recalled what of the Pond's history?
(a) It was a burial ground for unknown soldiers.
(b) It was once a horse-racing track.
(c) It was the location of the former Imperial Palace.
(d) It was where his ancestors first arrived.

2. What does the author intersperse between the dialogue Kazu hears between the two women at the Ueno Royal Art Museum?
(a) A radio announcement about the Imperial family.
(b) Informational panel about the artwork.
(c) Dialogue between two museum guards.
(d) A remembered conversation between Kazo and his wife.

3. What does Kazu wonder about regarding Shige after Kazu's death?
(a) Kazu wonders if the things Shige told him were all lies.
(b) Kazu wonders if he should have let Shige tell him his life story.
(c) Kazu wonders what Shige did for a living before he was homeless.
(d) Kazu wonders if Shige was saddened by his death.

4. What do the two businessmen Kazu observes walking toward the Shimizu Kannon Temple discuss on their walk?
(a) Their jobs.
(b) Food.
(c) Work.
(d) The temple.

5. Who did Kazu think of when he and Setsuko attended the 49th day mourning ceremony for their neighbor?
(a) His father.
(b) Koichi.
(c) His wife.
(d) His mother.

6. How long had Kazu and his wife been married at the time Kazu stopped working in Tokyo?
(a) 45 years.
(b) 29 years.
(c) 37 years.
(d) 17 years.

7. What did Kazu find interesting about the calendar hung up in Shige's hut?
(a) Each month had a picture of a different family member.
(b) He had lots of people's birthdays written on it.
(c) He had circled some days in red and some in blue.
(d) He had indicated several medical appointments that month.

8. Why did Kazu begin having trouble sleeping after his wife died?
(a) He worried Mari might die.
(b) The cicadas were too loud.
(c) He thought of how his wife and son both died in sleep.
(d) He had nightmares throughout the night.

9. Kazu observes two women at the Ueno Art Museum barely looking at the pictures and instead discussing what?
(a) One woman's situation with her soon-to-be ex-husband.
(b) One woman's upcoming wedding.
(c) One woman's pregnancy.
(d) One woman's trouble finding a good job.

10. What did Kazu do as the Kaempfer cicadas sing while he laid Setsuko's remains near their son?
(a) He sang.
(b) He hugged his daughter.
(c) He cried.
(d) He praid.

11. How old was Kazu when he began to visit the cabaret club?
(a) 67.
(b) 40.
(c) 30.
(d) 50.

12. What did Kazu give to the cabaret hostess the last night he saw her?
(a) A box of chocolates.
(b) Perfume.
(c) White roses.
(d) Money.

13. What did Kazu decide to do at the age of 60?
(a) Leave his wife.
(b) Stop working away from home.
(c) Open a cabaret.
(d) Go to school.

14. What does Kazu say he never did regarding the cabaret hostess?
(a) He never forgave himself for letting her go.
(b) He never paid for a date.
(c) He never told her he was married.
(d) He never told her his real name.

15. Where did Shige tell Kazu the founder of the Kan'ei-ji Temple was from?
(a) Tokyo.
(b) Hiroshima.
(c) Osaka.
(d) Fukishima.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Kazu think was going to happen to him after he died?

2. What did Kazu urge his granddaughter not to do in the note he left for her?

3. What withered flower does Kazu feel represents his life because it is "closed off with nowhere to go" (160)?

4. What do the pictures exhibited at the Ueno Royal Art Museum display?

5. What does Kazu see at Ueno Park less than 30 minutes after the homeless were supposed to have left the park?

(see the answer keys)

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