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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 pledge do Natsuki and Yuu make to each other as children?

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

3. Where does Natsuki live with her parents and sister?

4. What food does Natsuki eat around the mountain house?

5. What school does Natsuki go to?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What object makes Natsuki feel better when she is missing Yuu?

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

4. In Part II, what "lesson" does Mr. Igasaki give to Natsuki at his home?

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

6. How does Natuski observe the dynamic between her mother and father?

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

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

9. In Part II, why does the family decide not to go to Akishina for Obon?

10. Why do Natsuki and her family leave Akishina early in Part I?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Do you think Murata's portrayal of the rigidity of Japanese society seems realistic? Why or why not? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

How does Yuu distinguish between the acts of living and surviving? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

What do you think Murata means to communicate to the reader about the dynamic in Natsuki's family by repeatedly having adult characters in Natsuki's extended family and who are friends or neighbors challenge her mother's harsh views of Natsuki? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 560 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample