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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 musical instrument was Phuong especially good at?

2. Why does Phuong accompany Kien on the train when they sign up for the war effort?

3. Where does Kien find Phuong after the attack on the train?

4. How does Phuong help Kien to rejoin his unit and avoid being accused of desertion?

5. What did Phuong have to do during the war in order to survive?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do Kien and Phuong go to escape when they hear about the war?

2. Why does Kien refuse to sleep with Phuong before the war?

3. Why is the letter that Kien receives important?

4. Why does Kien not kill the commandos responsible for the farmhouse massacre?

5. At what bar does Kien meet the young prostitute and other ex-soldiers from the war?

6. Why does Kien kill the Sailor on the Train?

7. What do the characters of Tu and Cam have in common?

8. What musical instrument did Phuong play as a child, which indicates to Kien that she is a troubled soul?

9. What happens to Phuong on that train?

10. What happens to the train that Kien and Phuong eventually catch so that he can return to his unit?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the author's use of flashbacks in the story.

Essay Topic 2

Is the Vietnam War a character in the story? Explain your reasoning.

Essay Topic 3

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? In your opinion, is Kien suffering from PTSD? Explain your reasoning.

(see the answer keys)

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