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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 Johnny Walker promise to give to Nakata in exchange for his help?

2. Which of the following items is NOT something Kafka steals from his father before running away?

3. Which of the elementary school teacher's relatives was drafted to fight in the war on the day the children collapsed in the woods?

4. Where is Sakura going when she boards the same bus as Kafka?

5. What is Kafka's last name?

Short Essay Questions

1. What realization does the white cat, Otsuka, make about Nakata?

2. What advice does Crow give to Kafka before they run away together?

3. Who is Hoshino, and why does he decide to take Nakata on the road with him?

4. What happens when Kafka wakes from a blackout at a religious shrine?

5. How does Crow react to Kafka's fear when he is alone in the cabin in the woods?

6. How does Kafka negotiate a cheaper rate at the hotel where he is staying?

7. What happened to all of Nakata's money after he lost his job?

8. What does Hoshino do during the time that Nakata sleeps at their hotel?

9. What hypothesis does Doctor Shigenori Tsukayama make about what happened to the school children in the woods?

10. How does the police officer on duty react to Nakata's confession of stabbing a man to death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nakata, like Kafka, is a man haunted by his past. First, describe the event that altered Nakata's life forever. Then, explain how this disastrous event affected Nakata's life into adulthood. What ailments continued to plague Nakata long after the event occurred?

Essay Topic 2

When Kafka is still a young child, he decides to run away from home. First, explain the circumstances leading up to Kafka's decision to leave home. Then, describe the items Kafka took with him during his escape and the process through which he chose these items. Finally, describe at least two characters that helped Kafka during the initial days of his plan.

Essay Topic 3

Mrs. Saeki's song proves to be the thread that unifies all of the story lines in this novel. Choose at least two key elements of Mrs. Saeki's song and explain how these elements tie the story lines of Nakata and Kafka together. Then, explain whether or not you believe Mrs. Saeki's song is significant enough to warrant the title of this novel, and why.

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