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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. In "Not Even," what does the speaker say he used to be?

2. In "Reasons for Staying," how does the speaker describe the suicide of his uncle?

3. In "Amazon History of a Former Nail Salon Worker," what are some purchases that reveal the worker's pain?

4. In "Künstlerroman," what is the street the speaker's car crashed on?

5. In "Amazon History of a Former Nail Salon Worker," what is the first indication that the worker is undergoing cancer treatment?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the speaker in "The Punctum" learn about?

2. What particular item in "Amazon History of a Former Nail Salon Worker" is ominous and morbid?

3. What does the speaker do with the movie in "Künstlerroman"?

4. What is the poem "Toy Boat" about?

5. What is one reason that the speaker is a writer in "Ars Poetica as the Maker"?

6. What does the speaker make a list of in "Reasons for Staying"?

7. Where does the speaker see himself in "Tell Me Something Good"?

8. What does the speaker imply but not directly state in "Tell Me Something Good"?

9. Who does the speaker wish to communicate with in "No One Knows the Way to Heaven"?

10. Who were the main victims of many lynchings in "The Punctum"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Through which poems, and using which devices, does Vuong address the topic of police violence and brutality in modern America - especially towards people of color? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

What relationship does Vuong draw between intimacy and distance throughout this collection? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

Which specific aspects of childhood and adolescence does Vuong treat throughout this collection? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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