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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who helped Kazu get a job harvesting kelp in Kiratappu after his son Koichi was born?
(a) Kazu's father.
(b) Kazu's schoolmate.
(c) Kazu's uncle.
(d) Kazu's neighbor.

2. What does the homeless woman tell the homeless man about Shige while Kazu watches them?
(a) He took off without a word.
(b) He got arrested.
(c) He got a job.
(d) He died.

3. Why did Kazu stay outside of Ueno Station when he was alive?
(a) He sold watches and jewelry outside the station.
(b) He was a police officer assigned to patrol the area.
(c) He was homeless and that is where many homeless people lived.
(d) He worked as a ticketer at the station.

4. What happened to Hokkaido after the Tokyo Olympics?
(a) A tsunami hit.
(b) Nobody went there anymore.
(c) It became a haven for homeless people.
(d) It became urbanized.

5. When was the only time bill collectors did not come to Kazu's when his children were young?
(a) During dinner.
(b) On Mondays.
(c) During New Year's.
(d) On weekends.

Short Answer Questions

1. How old was Kazu when the war ended?

2. What is one of the things Setsuko found most painful about her son's death?

3. Why did Kazu's father speak to the mourners at the funeral?

4. How many younger siblings did Kazu have?

5. Though the Soma gave Kazu's ancestor's land why were they unable to grow anything at first?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe what happened when Kazu took his children to Haramachi during a festival for the Bon holidays?

2. What was Kazu's first job in Tokyo?

3. Describe Kazu's family. Who were his parents? Where did they live? How many siblings did he have?

4. When did Kazu move to Tokyo? Why? How often did he see his family?

5. How does Kazu describe Shige?

6. What did Kazu's mother tell him about his life after his son Koichi died?

7. What does Setsuko wonder about her son's death and how does the priest respond?

8. What did Kazu and his father, mother, and wife each do to support and feed the family around the time his first son was born?

9. What friend of Kazu's does he hear an old homeless man and woman discuss, and what does he learn about him?

10. How old was Kazu when he first began to work, and what did he do for work?

(see the answer keys)

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