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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Kazu say he never did regarding the cabaret hostess?
(a) He never told her he was married.
(b) He never told her his real name.
(c) He never paid for a date.
(d) He never forgave himself for letting her go.

2. What does Kazu say he felt about the hostess the first time they danced at the cabaret?
(a) He felt his wife would be happy for him.
(b) She was his dream woman.
(c) Self hate for hurting his wife.
(d) He wanted to leave his wife.

3. What did Kazu do at the 49th day mourning ceremony, which he did not typically do?
(a) He drank too much sake.
(b) He cried.
(c) He made a speech.
(d) He comforted the chief mourner.

4. Because you cannot sell cans in Tokyo, what did Kazu have to do in order to earn money from them?
(a) Cut them up with scissors.
(b) Fill them with water or juice.
(c) Make art out of them.
(d) Crush them with a hammer.

5. Kazu sees an old man on the bench who looks very neat. What is it about him that makes Kazu believe he must be homeless?
(a) He has a pile of old magazines beside him.
(b) The hundreds of cans bagged up at his feet.
(c) He has bags of ginkgo nuts.
(d) He is asking people for money.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many children does Kazu's daughter Yoko have?

2. What does the author intersperse between the dialogue Kazu hears between the two women at the Ueno Royal Art Museum?

3. Why did Kazu begin having trouble sleeping after his wife died?

4. What is one of the reasons Kazu believes the Tokyo city government wanted to force the homeless out of Ueno Park?

5. What did Kazu find interesting about the calendar hung up in Shige's hut?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where is the art exhibit Kazu observes and how are the old women in the gift shop described?

2. Describe the last night Kazu sees Junko.

3. After Kazu discusses his return home when he was 60, he describes Setsuko's life all the years he was away. What does he say she did?

4. What does Shige tell Kazu about the statue of Saigo Takamori near Ueno Park?

5. How long after Kazu's visit to Shige's hut did Kazu die and what did he wonder regarding Shige?

6. Who is Mari? What does she do for Kazu after Setsuo's death? How does their relationship end?

7. What happens to Setsuko seven years after Kazu returned home, and why does he blame himself?

8. Describe the conversation Kazu overhears between two women at the art exhibit.

9. Why is it interesting that Kazu's parents died not long after he returned home?

10. What is the Shogitai grave?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 956 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample