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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 was the favorite flower of Shen Fu during this part of the book, at least?

2. One of the largest empires in the world was led by men who knew more about the _______ of a thousand years before than about the tax law.

3. What does Yun point out does NOT happen when an insect dies, so she suggests Shen Fu study this?

4. What does Yun leave for Shen Fu up until the day of their wedding day, something that gets her mocked by others?

5. What was the skill of Lu Pan-fang, a man of many names within this particular section of the book?

Short Essay Questions

1. How would the Pavilion of the Waves' Lotus Lovers' Hall be described, according to the book?

2. What else did Yun teach herself to do, according to the description from Shen Fu in the story?

3. What is the interesting way that Shen Fu and Yun want to be reincarnated when they are born again in their next life?

4. What does Shen Fu try to describe about the potting and the arrangement of flowers?

5. What are the things that Shen Fu and Yun discuss when they do the Pavilion together?

6. What are the other two favorite flowers of Shen Fu, which he describes in the story according to the way he arranges them and pots them?

7. What it the task which Wan Tsai-chang completed, which makes him the only person that Shen Fu knows to have done such a thing?

8. What happened to destroy the work that Shen Fu and Yun did on their yard?

9. While it's not clear whether all of the transcripts will be found, what does the introduction say about the translation and what it is meant to do?

10. What are three things which Shen Fu gives instructions on when he is talking about plants and caring for plants?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Shen Fu's family continues to berate Yun, subtly referring to her as one of Shen Fu's many wives, though this is not the situation.

Part 1: Why do you think Shen Fu's family feels it is okay to berate Yun?

Part 2: How do you think you might react if you were Shen Fu and you heard your family attack Yun?

Part 3: Do you think a family should have the right to berate another member of the family?

Essay Topic 2

Shen Fu decides that even with his educational background that he wants to do something different, something his family sees as being beneath him.

Part 1: Why do you think Shen Fu decided to do something for which he was vastly overqualified?

Part 2: Do you think it's right to take on a job in which you are not challenged?

Part 3: How do you think your family would feel if you took on a job which was far below your skill set?

Essay Topic 3

As she is dying, Yun talks to her husband about how she asked for too much in her life and lived like a goddess when she was with him.

Part 1: Do you think it's possible to ask for too much from life?

Part 2: Why do you think Yun feels guilty, or so it seems, about the way her life has been so good to her?

Part 3: How do you think you would respond if someone spoke to you like this?

(see the answer keys)

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