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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. How do Astrid's parents react to the gossip column article?

2. Why does Kitty Bing have a party?

3. How does Astrid greet Nick in Part Two?

4. What problem did Bettina Ortiz y Mena experience?

5. What do Singaporeans think about Alfred Shang living in England?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Nick arrives at Tyersall Park?

2. Why is Nick Young ambivalent about returning to Singapore to see his grandmother, Su Yi?

3. Mabel Shang holds a grudge against Charlie Wu's mother, Irene. What is behind her lingering anger?

4. Who is Lucia Shang? How does her character fit into the novel's plot?

5. Why does Kitty Bing lash out at her husband, Jack?

6. When Su Yi appears in the dining room for breakfast, what does her attitude convey to her family?

7. In Part One, Chapter One, what is foreshadowed by Charlie's concern about Isabel's missed doctor's appointment?

8. Despite her concern for her grandmother, where does Astrid go?

9. What do Nick and Astrid have in common?

10. What kind of relationship does Nick have with his mother, Eleanor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss gender roles in Rich People Problems. What are the expectations for women and men in the culture of Singapore? Are there differences in gender expectations in the three generations portrayed in the novel? Which characters do you feel are the best illustration of the gender expectations in Singaporean society?

Essay Topic 2

There are three generations of the Young family in the novel. How does a multi-generational perspective support the story's plot? Does each generation have their own problems? Compare and contrast the three generations.

Essay Topic 3

Vikram Ghale and Ah Ling intervene to foil Eddie's plot to isolate Su Yi from her grandchildren, Astrid and Nick. What motivates them to take action? What are the risks involved in their choices?

(see the answer keys)

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