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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 the adults always do in celebration of the holiday at the family gathering at the mountain house each year?

2. Who is Natsuki's best friend in school?

3. Who is Natsuki's sister?

4. What creatures were once allowed to grow in the mountain house?

5. What do Natsuki and Yuu make rings out of?

Short Essay Questions

1. What refrain does Natsuki constantly repeat to her mother to please her?

2. In Chapter 2, how does Natsuki refer to her town as an adult?

3. Which relative is always kind to the children in Natsuki's family?

4. What is really unusual about Natsuki's and Tomoya's marriage?

5. How does Natsuki's mother react when she tells her that Mr. Igasaki is acting inappropriately?

6. What does Mr. Igasaki make Natsuki do early in Part II that is humiliating?

7. What plan does Natsuki make to try to escape her misery?

8. What childhood fantasy does Natsuki have in Part I?

9. What do the adults always ask the children to do at the mountain house when they first arrive which is part of tradition?

10. Why is Natsuki barred from being a pallbearer in Part II?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why is Piyyut so important in Natsuki's childhood and adolescence? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think Natsuki recognizes engaging in cannibalism as a taboo that it will be impossible to rejoin polite society after taking part in? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

What are the sources of both Tomoya's and Natsuki's unconventional views about marriage and childbearing? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 505 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample