1. “Two Kinds” is a short story from Amy Tan’s book The Joy Luck Club. This collection of short stories revolves around the lives of Chinese immigrant women who form a club and play what game?
(a) Bridge
(b) Chess
(c) Chinese checkers
(d) Mah-jongg

2. From what opera does Jing-Mei describe the “breasted girl with white makeup” singing from at the talent show?
(a) Les Miserables
(b) The Phantom of the Opera
(c) Madame Butterfly
(d) Guys and Dolls

3. Of Auntie Lindo’s daughter, Jing-Mei says “We had grown up together and shared all the closeness of two sisters squabbling over crayons and dolls. In other words, for the most part, we” what?
(a) Pestered each other
(b) Loved each other
(c) Hated each other
(d) Envied each other

4. How does Jing-Mei describe the secondhand piano that her parents bought for her?
(a) It was used like a kitchen table for years
(b) It was so ratty we kept it in the basement
(c) It was the showpiece of our living room
(d) It was the eyesore of our household

5. The little girl that Jing-Mei and her mother watch playing piano on The Ed Sullivan Show is said to have what kind of haircut?
(a) A Peter Pan haircut
(b) A Barbie Doll haircut
(c) A Shirley Temple haircut
(d) A Raggedy Anne haircut

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Jing-Mei respond to her mother on the phone when her mother offers her the piano for her birthday and says, “You could been genius if you wanted to”?

2. What does Jing-Mei wear in her hair at the talent show?

3. What does Jing-Mei kick under her feet as her mother drags her to the piano for practice after the talent show?

4. How long ago does Jing-Mei say she sent a tuner to her parents’ apartment to recondition the piano at the end of the story?

5. What musical term from Jing-Mei’s piano lessons means characterized by abruptness and disconnectedness?

(see the answer key)

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