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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 Bensheng's donkey eat too much of that makes its stomach burst?

2. What does Haiyan think Lin's reaction to Manna's rape will be?

3. Only a woman over the age of _______ would be expected to have bound feet.

4. What does Manna say to Lin when he comes back into the delivery room to see his sons?

5. When Manna speaks to someone outside their apartment, what does Lin notice her voice is still full of?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why would Manna Kill herself if she were pregnant?

2. How does Lin feel about being a father?

3. In Chapter 12, time accelerates through years. What has changed or stayed the same?

4. What about seeing Geng Yang upsets Manna so much?

5. Do people in the hospital view Shuyu as a joke?

6. Why does Lin want Shuyu and Hua to have urban residential status?

7. Does Lin regret divorcing Shuyu?

8. Why does Lin think they should tell Ran Su about Manna's rape as soon as possible?

9. What are the double standards of blame in Chapter 10?

10. What does Lin think is the effect of Manna's suffering?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Manna has had many suitors through "Waiting." Respond to the following questions:

- What draws Manna to these men?

- What repels Manna from these men?

- How much control does Manna have over her life?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay about Lin's orchestration of relationships and the necessity of control. Respond to the following questions:

- How does Lin act when he is orchestrating the situation?

- How does Lin react when he has no control over another person or their actions?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay analyzing the narrative structure or "Waiting". Focus on the following:

- Its symmetry and organization.

- Its circular and recursive motion.

- Compare to traditional narrative structure (rising action, climax, falling action, etc.) and how "Waiting" breaks, uses, and redefines "structure".

(see the answer keys)

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