View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many children were in Kikuko's family?

2. What direction does Yasuko face when the family eats together?

3. What type of nut fell when Yasuko and Shingo were married?

4. What does Shuichi hand Kikuko when he comes home at the beginning of Chapter 3?

5. How many middle-school pregnancies had there been in South Tsugaru?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Shingo describe sunflowers he sees in his neighborhood?

2. Why does Kikuko have a scar on her forehead?

3. What wakes Shingo at the beginning of Chapter 8?

4. What music is Kikuko playing at the beginning of Chapter 3?

5. What does the house look like where Shuichi's mistress lives?

6. What does Shingo struggle to remember at the beginning of Chapter 1?

7. With whom did Shingo go dancing one night?

8. Why would it be difficult for Fusako and Aihara to flee if the typhoon should get really bad?

9. What type of a person was Toriyama?

10. What does Mrs. Ikeda think would help get Shuichi to leave his mistress?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

It is discovered that Kinu is pregnant. Discuss Kinu's pregnancy and how various characters react to the pregnancy.

Essay Topic 2

In the novel, occasionally the back-story behind events that are occurring in the story are revealed. Discuss the back-story and how the author accomplishes revealing the back-story.

Essay Topic 3

Shingo's friend sells him some No masks. Discuss No masks and what they mean to Shingo, Yasuko, and Kikuko.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 515 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample