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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. When was author Amy Tan born?
2. What color does Jing-Mei say her mother knitted sweaters in, which were also “all the colors I hated”?
3. While watching the young piano prodigy on The Ed Sullivan Show with her mother, Jing-Mei says, “In spite of these warning signs, I wasn’t worried.” Why was Jing-Mei not concerned?
4. 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”?
5. At what time does Jing-Mei have access to Mr. Chong’s piano for her daily practice sessions when she begins studying with him?
Short Essay Questions
1. Why do you think the author chose to set the story (and the others in The Joy Luck Club) in San Francisco?
2. How are the pressures of immigrant families depicted through the character of Suyuan Woo in “Two Kinds”?
3. How does Jing-Mei describe the piece she is to play at the talent show? How does she describe her practice for the performance?
4. How does Jing-Mei respond to her mother’s offer on her thirtieth birthday?
5. What comment does Waverly Jong make to Jing-Mei after her performance at the talent show? How does this make Jing-Mei feel?
6. What performer fascinates Suyuan Woo while watching the Ed Sullivan Show early in the story? How does Jing-Mei respond?
7. What does Jing-Mei discover about Mr. Chong’s disabilities as she studies with him? How does this discovery influence her actions?
8. What innovations in literary style is Amy Tan known for?
9. How does Jing-Mei describe her life as she passed from childhood to adulthood? In what ways does she say she disappointed her mother?
10. How does the conflict that marks the climax of the story begin? How much time has passed since Jing-Mei’s performance at the talent show?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Describe and discuss the ambitions that Jing-Mei might have pursued as a child if her mother had not attempted to mold her into her own ambitions. What subjects does Jing-Mei profess interest in? In what ways might her mother have attempted to pursue these interests for her daughter?
Essay Topic 2
Discuss the theme of “regret” seen in Jing-Mei following the fight with her mother after the talent show. Why does Jing-Mei regret the things that she said to her mother? How does this conflict in the story effectively change their mother-daughter relationship forever?
Essay Topic 3
Discuss the imagery and symbolism of Jing-Mei’s transformation that occurs when she cries in the mirror. How does the image of Jing-Mei’s reflection give her strength? What does she do with this strength? What does this moment signify in Jing-Mei’s life?
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This section contains 959 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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