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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 Eiju scribble in his notebook that Mike finds in his apartment?

2. What kind of cancer does Eiju have?

3. What does Eiju ask Mike to do when he dies?

4. Who comes to have dinner regularly at Eiju's as Eiju enters the later stages of his illness?

5. What does Eiju say to Mike when he asks if anyone else knows Eiju is dying?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Kunihiko start doing as Eiju gets sicker?

2. How does Eiju generally treat Mike when Mike first shows up in Osaka?

3. Why is Ryutaro so loyal to Eiju?

4. What upsets Mike about Ben's attitude towards the neighbors?

5. What does Eiju tell Mike about the bar that surprises Mike?

6. What is very upsetting to Mike about how his father Eiju abandoned him and Mitsuko?

7. What is unique about Mike's neighborhood in Texas?

8. What does Mike come to think of Eiju's regular patrons?

9. What does Mike say to Ben shortly before he leaves for Osaka that he knows he should not have said?

10. Why is Mike angry at his mother for the circumstances surrounding her telling him that Eiju is dying?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why do you think Washington chose to split the book into two parts, with one written from Benson's perspective and one written from Mike's perspective? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 2

How would you describe Mike's relationship with his mother Mitsuko? Is it fair to say it is as Mitsuko describes it, that is, as being "very close," in Chapter 3? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

What kind of a friend is Ximena to Ben, and what benefits does he seem to glean from their friendship? Write an essay explaining your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 605 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample