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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. Why were there so few skiers on the train to Sapporo?

2. What Sherlock Holmes story did Theroux allude to in Chapter 19?

3. What Shakespeare play did Anne teach while living in Queenstown?

4. How did Mr. Shigahara describe the Japanese' commitment to Buddhism?

5. What religion did Bernard's father follow?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who were the American-looking children Theroux saw throughout Vietnam?

2. Why did Theroux leave behind his passport and camera while trying to go to the Goktiek Viaduct?

3. What common prostitution story did Theroux hear numerous times during his travels and how did the story told in Laos differ?

4. Why were the Vietnamese focused on providing foreign visitors with privileges?

5. Why were there no skiers on the mountain in Japan, despite the large amount of perfect snow?

6. Why did Mr. Lau dislike Kuala Lumpur?

7. How was the American woman living in Sapporo welcomed into the Japanese fold in the story retold in Chapter 27?

8. How did Theroux feel about the fast trains between cities in Japan?

9. What were Theroux's main impressions of Singapore?

10. How did Westerners and Japanese react to the suicide of the Japanese writer, Yukio Mishima?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In Japan, Theroux found the Japanese had some robotic qualities (automatically waiting in lines everywhere, doing group calisthenics at the office, etc.). Did that seem like a fair portrayal? What do you think caused the Japanese to behave in this manner? Do you think they had always been like that or had their history played a role in shaping their modern-day attitudes?

Essay Topic 2

In his travels through Japan, Theroux found the Japanese had a fondness for violent pornography and attributed this to the fact that the Japanese were overworked and too tried to think about actually having sex. Do you think this is an accurate assumption? What historical experiences or social traditions could encourage an acceptance of violent pornography? Does this attraction provide any deep insight into the Japanese character? Unlike in some of the traditional societies visited by Theroux, Japan seemed open to the idea of women working. Did the obsession with pornography say anything about relations between men and women in Japan?

Essay Topic 3

In his travels through India, Theroux seemed to be convinced India was doomed to failure in the long run unless the population was brought under control. He had also described in disbelieving terms the family planning officials who themselves had large families. Do you believe Theroux was accurate in his claims? How would reining in population figures help a nation develop economically? Is there a point at which nations cannot cope with a large population or can nations figure out a way to successfully spread wealth despite large numbers?

(see the answer keys)

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