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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 do we learn about the terrorists' true intentions in this section?

2. What dichotomy between the setting and characters is established right away?

3. Has Simon always been the best husband?

4. How does Roxane Cross feel about being the only woman forced to stay?

5. Where was Messner when the hostage situation happened?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Messner discover about the terrorists that have taken over Ruben's house?

2. What is happening to the health of the accompanist?

3. What does the accompanist's death prove to the reader?

4. How does Gen make himself important during this scary time?

5. As time goes on, how do the hostages and terrorists start to treat one another?

6. When two terrorists are revealed to be females what changes?

7. Why does Roxane feel awkward while giving her speech about Christoph?

8. How do the hostages and terrorists find a way to communicate with one another?

9. Why is it important for Mr. Hosokawa to be at the birthday party?

10. Why do the terrorists choose to keep Roxane at the house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The theme of love and lust run deep through the pages of Bel Canto.

- How do the characters change because they are affected by love?

- How does love change people and shape their lives?

Essay Topic 2

In the book, music has become everyone's common language.

Also language was created to connect human beings, how does it drastically divide them?

Had the people in the house not had Gen's help, would they have found another way to effectively communicate?

Essay Topic 3

Patchett attempts to use foreshadowing a couple times throughout the book.

Do you believe that she effectively uses foreshadowing?

Give two examples of how she uses foreshadowing.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 734 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample