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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 is Dai-yu most concerned about on the first day of school?

2. According to Jia Yu-cun and Leng Zi-xing, what makes a person fundamentally good or bad?

3. Who performs Disenchantment's A Dream of Golden Days for Bao-yu?

4. What do Duke of Ning-guo and Duke of Ring-guo believe will happen if Bao-yu engages in sexual pleasure?

5. Bao-yu and Qin Zhong form a plan to encourage their families to send them to _____.

Short Essay Questions

1. Hypothesize over the influence Bao-yu's father has on him despite his consistently disapproving attitude towards Bao-yu.

2. What is your opinion of Aroma's decision to allow Bao-yu to "have his way" with her following her discovery of his dream?

3. How does the story of Jia Rui teach a lesson about undue lust?

4. What does the story of Ying-lian and Feng Yuan suggest about the role of fate and karma in the world of the novel?

5. In what way does Dai-yu express her jealousy and somewhat obsessive attitude towards Bao-yu in the beginning of Chapter 9?

6. Explore the meaning/possible symbolism behind Bao-yu's experience in the dream in Chapter 5.

7. What can be understood from Chinese diplomatic culture when considering Bao-yu's meeting with Prince Qinzhong?

8. How does the author establish karma as a central theme in Chapter 1?

9. How does the connection between Bao-yu and Bao-chai deepen in Chapter 7?

10. Discuss the concepts of fate and destiny in relation to the meeting at which Bao-chai looks at Bao-yu's jade.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The central character of Bao-yu has a very clear arc of development. Discuss this with particular focus on the different levels of maturity that he attains and how he attains them.

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of illness to the story? Discuss with at least three examples and why the author chooses to make these characters ill.

Essay Topic 3

Explore the relationship between "real" and "fantastic" worlds in the novel with a particular focus on The Land of Illusion and what influence it brings upon the main story.

(see the answer keys)

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