Joy Luck Club- Multiple Choice Flashcards
Why was Jing-mei taking part in the Joy Luck Club
a. because she loved to play games with Chinese people
b. because her mother had died and she was asked by her father to be “the fourth corner” at the game
c. because there were very high prizes for winning at the club
d. because she promised her mother to attend at least one meeting of the club
b. because her mother had died and she was asked by her father to be “the fourth corner” at the game
How many Joy Luck Clubs have there been?
a. Sixteen
b. Twelve
c. One
d. Two
d. Two
Why did Jing-mei’s mother form the Joy Luck Club in Kweilin?
a. to be the first in her neighborhood to form a club
b. because she loved to eat
c. because she and her friends had nothing else to do
d. to give herself and some friends a diversion from the horrors of war
d. to give herself and some friends a diversion from the horrors of war
Why did the women in the club call it Joy Luck?
a. because the women hoped to be lucky, and that hope was their only joy
b. because all of the good names for clubs were already taken
c. because they wanted to use some of their own initials in the club name
d. because “Joy Luck” in Chinese means “happy ladies”
a. because the women hoped to be lucky, and that hope was their only joy
What surprising information did Jing-mei finally learn from her mother’s story about
leaving Kweilin?
a. She realized that her mother had been a shop girl in Kweilin.
b. She realized that her mother’s family had been royalty.
c. She realized that her mother had left her two daughters behind.
d. She realized that her mother was an inveterate liar.
c. She realized that her mother had left her two daughters behind.
How do the people at the San Francisco Joy Luck Club eat?
a. very daintily
b. as though they had been starving
c. with many different utensils
d. with much belching
b. as though they had been starving
Why did “the aunties” give Jing-mei $1200 in an envelope?
a. They collected the money so that Jing-mei could go to China and meet her half-sisters.
b. They won the money in a state lottery and wanted Jing-mei to have it.
c. They had borrowed the money from Jing-mei and were paying it back.
d. They had owed the money to Jing-mei’s mother.
a. They collected the money so that Jing-mei could go to China and meet her half-sisters.
What do “the aunties” want Jing-mei to tell her sisters in China?
a. the secrets of the Woo family
b. about her mother
c. about America
d. about how their mother didn’t want them
b. about her mother
What surprising thing does Jing-mei tell her “aunties” about her own mother?
a. She tells them that she didn’t really love her mother.
b. She tells them that her mother was much older than they had thought.
c. She tells them that she really doesn’t know anything about her mother.
d. She tells them that her mother was living under an assumed name.
c. She tells them that she really doesn’t know anything about her mother.
What does Jing-mei promise “the aunties” at the end of the story?
a. that she won’t waste their money
b. that she will tell her sisters everything about her mother
c. that she will never tell her sisters that their mother is dead
d. that she will take good care of her father
b. that she will tell her sisters everything about her mother
What did An-mei’s mother do to become a ghost?
a. She died.
b. She became a Chinese gambler.
c. She showed disrespect for her family.
d. She forgot how to speak the Chinese language.
c. She showed disrespect for her family
What did it mean in An-mei’s family to become a ghost?
a. It meant that everyone was forbidden to talk about the person.
b. It meant that the person could never return home.
c. It meant that the person was shunned by all other females.
d. It meant that a funeral was held for the person.
a. It meant that everyone was forbidden to talk about the person.
Why did An-mei’s grandmother say bad things about her own grandchildren?
a. because she disliked their manners
b. so that the ghosts would think the children were not worth stealing
c. to make them mind her
d. to frighten them into listening to her
b. so that the ghosts would think the children were not worth stealing
What happened to the greedy girl in An-mei’s grandmother’s story?
a. She was kidnapped by bank robbers.
b. She grew fatter and fatter and finally poisoned herself after refusing to say whose
child she carried.
c. She kept wanting more and more things until finally there was nothing left for her to desire.
d. She died and was buried on the same day.
b. She grew fatter and fatter and finally poisoned herself after refusing to say whose
In An-mei’s grandmother’s story, what happened to the little girl who refused to listen to her elders?
a. She refused her aunt’s request and a little ball fell from her ear and all her brains poured out.
b. She was made to stay in her room for three whole days as punishment.
c. She was whipped.
d. She suddenly became unable to hear at all.
a. She refused her aunt’s request and a little ball fell from her ear and all her brains poured out.
Why was An-mei told never to say her mother’s name?
a. because it was too hard for a child to pronounce
b. because to say her mother’s name was to spit on her father’s grave
c. because the soldiers would come to get her mother if they heard her name
spoken out loud
d. because to say her mother’s name would mean her mother could return to
the family
b. because to say her mother’s name was to spit on her father’s grave
In Scar, what is the definition of shou?
a. It means one will experience great happiness.
b. It means one can never come back home.
c. It means one will shed many tears.
d. It means one has no respect for ancestors or family.
d. It means one has no respect for ancestors or family.
What is An-mei’s “know-nothing face”?
a. It is the face she wears in school to avoid being called on by the teacher.
b. It is the face she wears when she has done something wrong.
c. It is the face she puts on when she doesn’t want to reveal her true emotions.
d. It is the face she puts on when she is acting silly.
c. It is the face she puts on when she doesn’t want to reveal her true emotions.
What does An-mei remember about her mother from when An-mei was four?
a. She remembers that her mother got caught gambling.
b. She remembers that her mother returned to the family and was chased away the same night after An-mei was burned by the hot soup.
c. She remembers that her mother appeared to her in a dream on her birthday.
d. She remembers that her mother and her uncle quarreled about money.
b. She remembers that her mother returned to the family and was chased away the same night after An-mei was burned by the hot soup.
After An-mei was burned, what did her grandmother tell her that made her get better fast?
a. Her grandmother told her that her mother had left and would forget Anmei if An-mei didn’t get better fast.
b. Her grandmother told her that she was behaving very badly.
c. Her grandmother told her that the ghosts would get her if she didn’t get
better fast.
d. Her grandmother told her that she would die.
a. Her grandmother told her that her mother had left and would forget Anmei if An-mei didn’t get better fast.
What does An-mei’s mother do to show her love and respect for her own mother?
a. She bows deeply and calls her by a special name.
b. She gets up early in the morning and fixes her a special meal.
c. She returns to her family and cuts off a piece of her own flesh, puts it in a soup, and serves it to her dying mother.
d. She agrees to stay away from her daughter forever.
c. She returns to her family and cuts off a piece of her own flesh, puts it in a soup, and serves it to her dying mother.
In the story, what does An-mei learn from her own mother?
a. She learns that one’s love and respect for one’s mother is deep within one’s bones.
b. She learns not to run away from home.
c. She learns not to eat hot soup from a big kettle.
d. She learns that under no circumstances should she ever quarrel with her uncle.
a. She learns that one’s love and respect for one’s mother is deep within one’s bones.
How did Lindo Jong become engaged to her future husband, Tyan-yu?
a. He proposed to her after watching a romantic movie.
b. A match was arranged through a matchmaker when Lindo was two and Tyan-yu was only one.
c. Their mothers discussed their growing love and promised to let them marry.
d. They decided to marry after going on many dates when they were in their teens
b. A match was arranged through a matchmaker when Lindo was two and Tyan-yu was only one.
How did Lindo first become a member of the Huang household?
a. When she was twelve, her family moved away and sent her to live with the Huang family.
b. When she needed a place to live, they graciously took her in.
c. She applied for a position in their household.
d. Tyan-yu asked his mother if Lindo could come and live with them.
a. When she was twelve, her family moved away and sent her to live with the Huang family.
What gift did Lindo’s mother give to Lindo as the family moved away?
a. a huge snake
b. her chang, a necklace made out of a tablet of red jade
c. a pair of diamond earrings
d. an envelope full of money
b. her chang, a necklace made out of a tablet of red jade
How did Tyan-yu make Lindo cry the first night she lived in his house?
a. He demanded that they make love.
b. He complained that the soup was not hot enough, spilled the bowl as if it were an accident, waited until she sat down before demanding more rice, and asked why she had such an unpleasant face when looking at him.
c. He told her that he had never loved her.
d. He told her that she was way too fat for his liking.
b. He complained that the soup was not hot enough, spilled the bowl as if it were an accident, waited until she sat down before demanding more rice, and asked why she had such an unpleasant face when looking at him.
What did Lindo’s mother-in-law instruct the servants to teach Lindo?
a. to be a good seamstress
b. to perform a variety of household duties so that she would be a good wife
c. how to choose low-fat foods for her husband
d. how to lose weight by eating only fruit
b. to perform a variety of household duties so that she would be a good wife
What promise did Lindo make to herself on her wedding day?
a. She promised herself that she would someday kill Tyan-yu.
b. She promised herself that she would run away at the first opportunity.
c. She promised herself that she would always remember her parents’ wishes but would never forget herself.
d. She promised herself that she would write to her parents and tell them that they
had made a big mistake in letting her go.
c. She promised herself that she would always remember her parents’ wishes but would never forget herself.
Why was Lindo unafraid while she was led down a path on her wedding day?
a. because she didn’t know anyone who was present
b. because she could see what was inside herself
c. because her face was covered by a big scarf and she couldn’t see enough to
be afraid
d. because she knew that her parents would come back for her
b. because she could see what was inside herself
What was the red candle’s significance and what was supposed to happen to it?
a. It symbolized Lindo’s marriage to Tyan-yu, and it was supposed to be lit at both ends and kept burning all night long.
b. It was a symbol of the children she would bear, and it was supposed to burn out only after she and her husband made love.
c. It symbolized fertility, and it was supposed to be kept burning always.
d. It symbolized her fears, and it was supposed to make her keep trying to
please Tyan-yu.
a. It symbolized Lindo’s marriage to Tyan-yu, and it was supposed to be lit at both ends and kept burning all night long.
What lie did the matchmaker’s servant tell?
a. She said that Tyan-yu and Lindo were a good match.
b. She said that the candle burned all night.
c. She said that the candle burned out at just the right time.
d. She said that she saw Lindo kissing another man in the garden.
b. She said that the candle burned all night.
What mark on Tyan-yu did Lindo use to “prove” her marriage was rotting?
a. a big red welt on his cheek
b. an ingrown toenail on his left foot
c. a small black mole on his back
d. a mysterious X written on her bedroom wall
c. a small black mole on his back
How did Lindo escape from the marriage to Tyan-yu?
a. She convinced them that the pregnant servant girl was really of imperial blood and was Tyan-yu’s spiritual wife.
b. She lied and said that she couldn’t have children.
c. She ran away when everyone else was at dinner.
d. She killed Tyan-yu.
a. She convinced them that the pregnant servant girl was really of imperial blood and was Tyan-yu’s spiritual wife.
What is the significance in the story of the Festival of Pure Brightness?
a. It is the day when Lindo carried out her plan and a day she still celebrates by taking off all her bracelets and remembering the day when she finally knew a genuine thought and could follow where it went.
b. It was the day when she met her second husband, the man she really loved.
c. It was the last time she could remember having a good time.
d. It was the last time she saw her mother and father alive.
a. It is the day when Lindo carried out her plan and a day she still celebrates by taking off all her bracelets and remembering the day when she finally knew a genuine thought and could follow where it went.
What does Ying-yin say her earliest recollection is?
a. hearing her father yell at her for disobeying him
b. telling the Moon Lady her secret wish
c. seeing the Moon Lady dance in the garden
d. listening to her mother tell her about love
b. telling the Moon Lady her secret wish
Why does the Amah tell Ying-ying that she must keep her wishes secret?
a. because it is so much fun to have secrets that other people don’t know
b. because secrets are always kept during special festivals
c. because girls are trained to keep secrets
d. because if she tells her secret wish, it will no longer be a wish but become a selfish desire
d. because if she tells her secret wish, it will no longer be a wish but become a selfish desire
How did Ying-ying wind up in the water?
a. She was pushed by a mysterious stranger.
b. While listening to the Moon Lady sing, she got dizzy and fell in.
c. She fell off the back of the boat.
d. Amah shoved her in for being bad
c. She fell off the back of the boat.
What is the ultimate fate of the Moon Lady?
a. to forever seek her own selfish wishes
b. to have to live her life as a man
c. to lose her voice and be unable to sing
d. to become one of the lost ghosts of the village
a. to forever seek her own selfish wishes
What was the effect on Ying-ying of listening to the Moon Lady’s story?
a. She thought the story was silly.
b. She cried and shook with despair.
c. The story made her laugh.
d. The story made her want to go home.
b. She cried and shook with despair.
What does the Moon Lady represent for Ying-ying?
a. an illusion, a wish granted that could not be trusted
b. power, money, and fame
c. the loss of love
d. a way to become a star
a. an illusion, a wish granted that could not be trusted
What wish did Ying-ying ask for from the Moon Lady?
a. to become a singing star
b. to be found
c. to be pretty
d. to find her family again
b. to be found
How does Ying-ying’s story reflect her life and that of her daughter?
a. She says that she and her daughter are both lost.
b. She says that she and her daughter could both have been stars.
c. She feels that she and her daughter were destined to become singers.
d. She feels that she and her daughter both could have played the role of the Moon Lady.
a. She says that she and her daughter are both lost.
What was “the art of invisible strength” that Waverly’s mother taught her?
a. It was a special strength that comes from angels.
b. It was the strength that comes from lifting weights.
c. It was a strategy for winning arguments and gaining respect from others.
d. It was a way of never losing even one chess tournament.
c. It was a strategy for winning arguments and gaining respect from others.
How did Waverly’s mother demonstrate the art of invisible strength?
a. She gave Waverly a gift of salted plums precisely because she kept quiet and didn’t request them.
b. She ignored Waverly and never praised her.
c. She showed Waverly how muscular her body was getting.
d. She remained silent for seven days straight.
a. She gave Waverly a gift of salted plums precisely because she kept quiet and didn’t request them.
How did Waverly learn to play expert chess?
a. She took classes through a kind of community center.
b. In the beginning she taught herself and then she played with Lau Po.
c. Her brother Winston taught her.
d. Her mother taught her.
b. In the beginning she taught herself and then she played with Lau Po.
What would Waverly’s mother say when she attended Waverly’s chess exhibition games outdoors?
a. “Is my daughter the chess master.”
b. “Is funny game.”
c. “Is luck.”
d. “Chess is so silly.”
c. “Is luck.”
Why did Waverly run away?
a. She ran away because her mother was embarrassing her and showing off.
b. She was tired of being made to play in chess tournaments.
c. She had told her mother that the next time she didn’t get her own way, she would run away.
d. She felt that her skills as a great chess player weren’t being appreciated properly
a. She ran away because her mother was embarrassing her and showing off.
How did Waverly’s mother treat her when she returned home after running away?
a. She was totally apologetic and gave Waverly anything she wanted.
b. She talked with Waverly about solving her problems.
c. She promised not to cause any more problems for Waverly.
d. She treated her as though she didn’t exist.
d. She treated her as though she didn’t exist.
What was Waverly’s mother’s view of “rules”?
a. She believed that people from foreign countries must learn the American “rules.”
b. She believed that the rules were a way of tricking foreigners into making mistakes.
c. She believed that rules were made to be broken.
d. She believed that rules applied to grownups but not to children.
a. She believed that people from foreign countries must learn the American “rules.”
At the end of the story, who is Waverly’s imaginary chess opponent?
a. Lau Po
b. Her brother Winston
c. Her father
d. Her mother
d. Her mother
What does the dead beggar say when he returns?
a. I wish I had not gone away.
b. The worst is on the other side.
c. I have come back for revenge.
d. I never was a good person before.
b. The worst is on the other side.
How did the American immigration authorities categorize Lena’s mother?
a. as a “displaced person.”
b. as a troublesome foreigner
c. as an Asian of unknown origin
d. as a female Oriental
a. as a “displaced person.”
Why does Lena want to know “the worst possible thing that can happen” to her?
a. so that she can avoid it
b. so that she can be frightened once and for all
c. so that she can understand her life better
d. so that she can know as many bad things as her mother does
a. so that she can avoid it
Why did Lena start telling lies?
a. She started telling lies in order to get her own way.
b. She started telling lies to prevent bad things from happening in the future.
c. She started telling lies to make additional money.
d. She started telling lies to get the best of her mother.
b. She started telling lies to prevent bad things from happening in the future.
What was Lena’s great hope when the family moved out of Oakland?
a. She hoped that she would become famous.
b. She hoped that her mother would leave.
c. She hoped that her father would get medical help for her mother.
d. She hoped that she might be able to leave all the old fears behind.
d. She hoped that she might be able to leave all the old fears behind.
What did Lena hear through the wall of the new apartment?
a. the sound of mice running around
b. the mother and daughter next door arguing
c. the woman next door reciting poetry in Chinese
d. the mother and father next door talking to each other
b. the mother and daughter next door arguing
Why did the girl from next door leave her own apartment?
a. because she was tired of having to stay inside
b. because her mother kicked her out
c. because she wanted to get out to see her boyfriend
d. because she was curious about how Lena and her family lived
b. because her mother kicked her out
How did the girl from next door get out of Lena’s bedroom?
a. She climbed out onto the fire escape and back into her own apartment.
b. She climbed out onto a very tall tree.
c. She just went downstairs and out the front door.
d. She jumped out of a window onto a soft awning below.
a. She climbed out onto the fire escape and back into her own apartment.
What happened later that night after the girl and her mother had argued?
a. The girl and her mother cried and laughed and shouted with love.
b. The mother had the girl taken away by the police.
c. The mother came over to talk to Lena.
d. The mother called to ask Lena if she had seen her daughter.
a. The girl and her mother cried and laughed and shouted with love.
What hope did Lena have after watching the girl next door with her mother?
a. She hoped that she and her mother could get to know the people next
door.
b. She hoped that her father would allow her to have a boyfriend too.
c. She hoped that the girl would visit her again soon.
d. She hoped that things could be better than they appeared.
d. She hoped that things could be better than they appeared.
What did Rose’s mother used to carry to church services at the First Chinese Baptist
Church?
a. a hymnal
b. a big heavy black Bible
c. a small leatherette Bible
d. a small picture of her dead parents
c. a small leatherette Bible
What makes Rose sure that her mother knows the Bible is still under a table leg in her
kitchen?
a. because her mother mentions it often
b. because her mother is not the greatest housekeeper and yet the Bible is still clean white after twenty years
c. because the Bible is there in plain sight
d. because she has caught her mother reading it
b. because her mother is not the greatest housekeeper and yet the Bible is still clean white after twenty years
How did the decision making start and then change in Rose’s marriage?
a. At first she decided everything but then her husband took over.
b. At first her husband decided everything but then he lost a malpractice lawsuit and wanted her to make all of the decisions for them.
c. At first she and her husband decided everything equally but then he
wouldn’t let her make any decisions.
d. At first they voted on everything but later they drew straws to see who would get to make a decision.
b. At first her husband decided everything but then he lost a malpractice lawsuit and wanted her to make all of the decisions for them.
What did Rose find out “faith” was?
a. an illusion that somehow one is in control
b. just God’s way of fooling people
c. simply a way of pretending
d. a silly way of behaving that Chinese people engage in
a. an illusion that somehow one is in control
What was the name of Rose’s mother’s little Chinese book and what was in it?
a. Foolish Chinese Children and Their Parents showed how parents had failed their children by coddling them
b. Wickedness in Children told stories of very young children who were evil.
c. The Twenty-six Malignant Gates showed how children are predisposed to certain dangers on certain days based on their Chinese birthdates.
d. Drowned Children in America which had pictures in it of children who had drowned after coming to America to live
c. The Twenty-six Malignant Gates showed how children are predisposed to certain dangers on certain days based on their Chinese birthdates.
What did Rose and her mother do early on the morning after Rose’s brother drowned?
a. They prayed at the First Chinese Baptist Church.
b. They spent the morning confessing their sins.
c. They went back to the beach to try to find him.
d. They yelled at each other and accused each other of being responsible for
his death.
c. They went back to the beach to try to find him.
Why did Rose’s mother throw her blue sapphire ring
into the water?
a. because blue was the same color as the water
b. because she thought it would divert the Coiling Dragon so that he would release her son from the water
c. because she thought God would exchange her son for the ring
d. because she felt guilty having such a beautiful ring after she had let her so drown
b. because she thought it would divert the Coiling Dragon so that he would release her son from the water
Why did Rose’s mother throw an inner tube attached to a fishing pole into the water?
a. She believed it would locate her lost son.
b. She just couldn’t think of anything else to do.
c. She believed that Chinese fishermen had used the same technique.
d. She thought that Bing would respond to the gadget.
a. She believed it would locate her lost son.
When her mother gave up finding Bing, what emotion did Rose feel?
a. absolute joy
b. great sorrow
c. relief
d. blinding anger
d. blinding anger
When Rose took the Bible out from under the table leg, what did she find written in it?
a. her mother’s confession to God about losing her son
b. her mother’s angry statements about the death
c. her brother’s name written in it in erasable pencil under “Deaths”
d. just a small notation about her brother in the back written in blue ink
c. her brother’s name written in it in erasable pencil under “Deaths”
What made Jing-mei’s mother think that Jing-mei could be a prodigy?
a. She thought anyone could be anything they wanted to be in America.
b. Jing-mei had showed great promise when she was very young.
c. An-Mei Hsu had mentioned that she thought Jing-mei was talented.
d. She believed that anyone could accomplish greatness through prayer.
a. She thought anyone could be anything they wanted to be in America.
What did Jing-mei’s mother lose in China?
a. her mother and father, her family home, her first husband, and her twin
baby daughters
b. her honor
c. her sense of humor
d. her spirit
a. her mother and father, her family home, her first husband, and her twin
How did Jing-mei first envision herself as a prodigy?
a. as a kind of Shirley Temple type
b. as a celebrity on the Ed Sullivan show
c. as a tap dancing Asian girl
d. as a dainty ballerina, the Christ child, or Cinderella
d. as a dainty ballerina, the Christ child, or Cinderella
What would perfection have meant for Jing-mei while she was waiting to become a prodigy?
a. that her parents would adore her, she would be beyond reproach, and she would never feel the need to sulk for anything
b. going to college
c. learning to play chess
d. just being left alone by her overly ambitious mother
a. that her parents would adore her, she would be beyond reproach, and she would never feel the need to sulk for anything
Why did Jing-mei’s mother read so many magazines?
a. She read them to find stories of remarkable children.
b. She read them to learn about how to raise children.
c. She read them so that she could teach herself the English language.
d. She read them so that she would feel like an educated American citizen.
a. She read them to find stories of remarkable children.
What happened to all of Jing-mei’s mother’s early efforts to find out what kind of prodigy Jing-mei should be?
a. They failed totally.
b. They cost too much money.
c. They were discarded when Jing-mei refused to try to achieve greatness.
d. They didn’t come true because she didn’t pray hard enough
a. They failed totally.
What was wrong with Jing-mei’s piano teacher and how did his defect affect her playing?
a. He couldn’t read music, so he didn’t know if she was playing the right notes.
b. He was tone deaf, so he couldn’t tell if she was playing in tune or not.
c. He was deaf, so he couldn’t even hear the notes she was playing.
d. He had a huge dislike for little girl pianists, so he wouldn’t have liked anything she
played.
c. He was deaf, so he couldn’t even hear the notes she was playing.
What piece did Jing-mei select for the talent show in the church hall?
a. a piece called “Pleading Child”
b. a special Christmas piece
c. a piece called “I Have Talent”
d. a particularly difficult piece to play
a. a piece called “Pleading Child”
Who was the only person in the church hall who thought Jing-mei’s performance was good?
a. her mother
b. her father
c. Waverly Jong
d. her piano teacher
d. her piano teacher
What did Jing-mei realize after she had played both “Pleading Child” and “Perfectly
Contented” a few times?
a. that it too was beautiful
b. that the two pieces were two halves of the same song
c. that the latter was very difficult to play
d. that “Perfectly Contented” made her feel better about her mother’s death
b. that the two pieces were two halves of the same song
What does the saying, “If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold,” mean?
a. that dental problems never go away
b. that one thing is always the result of another
c. that it is best not to have dental surgery
d. that nothing in this life is easy
b. that one thing is always the result of another
What does Lena’s mother see?
a. She sees the bad things that will affect her family.
b. She sees back into the past and far into the future.
c. She sees only positive coming events.
d. She sees the best in everyone she meets.
a. She sees the bad things that will affect her family.
What are the three things that Lena’s mother predicted that came true?
a. a grocery store that burned down, an illness that kept Lena in bed for weeks, and Lena’s father’s death
b. that Lena and two of her female cousins would get divorced
c. her family’s falling into debt, a great financial reversal on the horizon, and Lena’ marriage
d. a miscarriage, a bank failure, and Lena’s father’s death
d. a miscarriage, a bank failure, and Lena’s father’s death
What does Lena think her mother will see during her visit with her and Harold?
a. how ugly their cat is
b. how wrong Lena and Harold are for each other
c. how boring Lena’s life is
d. how poorly built Lena’s house is
b. how wrong Lena and Harold are for each other
What physical aspect of Lena’s house does her mother connect with a feeling?
a. the slant of the floor that makes her feel as if she is “running down”
b. the placement of the mirrors makes her feel lonely
c. the windows that need repainting make her feel doomed
d. the height of the windows that make her feel angry
a. the slant of the floor that makes her feel as if she is “running down”
What food does Harold not realize that Lena doesn’t eat?
a. bananas
b. tomatoes
c. ice cream
d. whole wheat bread
c. ice cream
Why does Harold hate it when Lena cries?
a. He thinks it’s manipulative.
b. It makes him feel guilty.
c. It makes him want to cry too.
d. He thinks she fakes her feelings.
a. He thinks it’s manipulative
Why does the marble end table collapse?
a. It collapses because it is not sturdy.
b. It collapses because Lena’s mother puts too much weight on it.
c. It collapses mysteriously for no reason at all.
d. It collapses because Harold bumps into it.
a. It collapses because it is not sturdy.
When Lena says, “I knew it would happen,” what question does her mother ask?
a. “How could you possibly know that?”
b. “I don’t think you could have known.”
c. “Then why you don’t stop it?”
d. “Why do you do such dumb things, then?”
c. “Then why you don’t stop it?”
What did Waverly want to tell her mother at lunch?
a. She wanted to tell her mother that she was going on a special diet.
b. She wanted to tell her mother that she was getting married again.
c. She wanted to tell her mother that she was getting divorced.
d. She wanted to tell her mother that she was pregnant.
b. She wanted to tell her mother that she was getting married again.
What did Waverly’s mother do when she found that Waverly had eloped with her first husband?
a. She yelled at them for hours.
b. She threw her shoe at them.
c. She threatened the man’s life.
d. She told them never to come to see her again.
b. She threw her shoe at them.
Why did Waverly first stop playing chess as a child?
a. because she felt her mother was trying to take all the credit for her winning
b. because she was terribly bored
c. because she wanted to stop while she was ahead
d. because she felt she had outgrown the game
a. because she felt her mother was trying to take all the credit for her winning
What special thing could Waverly’s mother do to change Waverly’s view of a person?
a. She could make Waverly see each of the person’s traits in a new, negative way.
b. She could make even weak people seem strong in Waverly’s eyes?
c. She could tell Waverly that they looked like someone she had disliked in her childhood.
d. She could tell lies so convincingly that Waverly no longer knew who she liked.
a. She could make Waverly see each of the person’s traits in a new, negative way.
What mistake did Rich make about the wine at the dinner with Waverly’s family?
a. He got very drunk at dinner.
b. He drank right out of the bottle.
c. He served red wine instead of white wine.
d. He drank two full glasses while everybody else had a half-inch “just for taste.”
d. He drank two full glasses while everybody else had a half-inch “just for taste.”
Why was Waverly so anxious that her mother was the queen while she, Waverly, was the pawn?
a. because then Waverly could only run away while her mother could move in all directions
b. because she hated to think that her mother could be royalty
c. because she had once dreamt that she was just a pawn
d. because in her last tournament game she lost a pawn
a. because then Waverly could only run away while her mother could move in all directions
In what way was Waverly confused about where her mother came from?
a. She thought her mother was from Shanghai, but she was really from Canton.
b. She thought that her mother was American born when really she was born in China.
c. She thought her mother was born in China when really she was born right in San Francisco
d. She thought her mother was born in Taiwan, but her mother was really born in Taiyuan.
d. She thought her mother was born in Taiwan, but her mother was really born in Taiyuan.
What trip is Waverly contemplating at the end of the story and with whom would she
travel?
a. She is contemplating a trip to Taiwan.
b. She is contemplating a cruise to Bermuda.
c. She is contemplating a trip to China made by herself, her mother, and Rich.
d. She is contemplating a trip to China with just Rich and Shoshana.
c. She is contemplating a trip to China made by herself, her mother, and Rich.
When Rose was little, what did she believe?
a. She believed a mirror could see only her face but that her mother could see
her inside out even when Rose was not in the room.
b. She believed in the Chinese equivalent of Santa Clause.
c. She believed in all kinds of ghosts.
d. She believed that her mother was immortal.
a. She believed a mirror could see only her face but that her mother could see
Why did Rose’s mother say that Rose was “without wood”?
a. She explained that Rose was confused all of the time because she listened
to too many people.
b. She said that everything in Rose’s house was made of plastic.
c. She thought that Rose had no appreciation for antique wood furniture.
d. She thought that Rose was so slender that she had no central core.
a. She explained that Rose was confused all of the time because she listened
Why did Rose stay in bed for three days?
a. because her husband had left her and she was unable to make the simples decisions
b. because she had a bad case of food poisoning
c. because she was very ill with a migraine headache
d. because she couldn’t get over her uncle’s death
a. because her husband had left her and she was unable to make the simples decisions
Where did Rose tell Ted she was going to live?
a. She said she was going to continue to live in the house they had share while they were married.
b. She said that she was moving into a hotel.
c. She said that she was going home to live with her mother.
d. She said that she was going into a nunnery.
a. She said she was going to continue to live in the house they had share while they were married.
When Rose says that Ted is hulihudu, what does she mean?
a. that he is wicked
b. that he is weak
c. that he is confused
d. that is extremely stupid
c. that he is confused
What does Rose’s mother plant in Rose’s garden?
a. daffodils
b. weeds
c. violets
d. petunias
b. weeds
What is Jing-mei’s “life’s importance” gift from her mother?
a. a jade pendant on a gold chain
b. a special locket with her mother’s hair in it
c. a diary to keep her most important thoughts in
d. a diamond brooch
a. a jade pendant on a gold chain
Why did Jing-mei’s mother not want to keep the crab that had lost a leg?
a. because a missing leg on a crab is a bad sign on a Chinese New Year
b. because the crab was too small to keep anyway
c. because she felt sorry for the crab and didn’t want to eat it
d. because she once ate a crab without a leg and got sick from it
a. because a missing leg on a crab is a bad sign on a Chinese New Year
Why did Jing-mei leave the room while the crabs were being steamed?
a. She left the room because she got tired of talking to her mother.
b. She left the room because her mother was making her so angry.
c. She left the room because she could not bear to remain while the crabs died.
d. She left the room because she was tired and didn’t feel like helping with dinner.
c. She left the room because she could not bear to remain while the crabs died.
How do Jing-mei and her mother disagree in regard to Waverly Jong?
a. Jing-mei likes Waverly a lot, but her mother has never liked Waverly.
b. Jing-mei thinks Waverly is pretty, but her mother thinks she is ugly.
c. Jing-mei admires her while her mother says that Waverly is like a crab, always walking sideways, moving crooked.
d. Jing-mei thinks that Waverly always tells the truth, but once her mother caught Waverly in a lie.
c. Jing-mei admires her while her mother says that Waverly is like a crab, always walking sideways, moving crooked.
How did Waverly insult Jing-mei professionally?
a. She said that her firm had decided that Jing-mei’s freelance work was unacceptable.
b. She mentioned that she thought Jing-mei’s work was messy.
c. She said that Jing-mei had never been able to spell correctly.
d. She said that Jing-mei didn’t dress well at work.
a. She said that her firm had decided that Jing-mei’s freelance work was unacceptable.
Who got the crab with the missing leg?
a. Waverly Jong
b. Jing-mei’s father
c. Jing-mei
d. Jing-mei’s mother
d. Jing-mei’s mother
In what way does An-mei say that all people born girls are alike?
a. They all can give birth to babies.
b. Men take advantage of all of them.
c. None of them has any sense.
d. They are all like stairs, one step after another, going up and down, but all going the same way.
d. They are all like stairs, one step after another, going up and down, but all going the same way.
What did it mean to An-mei to be raised “the Chinese way”?
a. It meant being taught to desire nothing, to swallow other people’s misery,
and to eat one’s own bitterness.
b. It meant learning to honor one’s mother and father.
c. It meant understanding how to sacrifice.
d. It meant not having to say one is sorry.
a. It meant being taught to desire nothing, to swallow other people’s misery,
How did An-mei’s mother dishonor her widowhood?
a. She married a much wealthier man than her first husband.
b. She married a man with the same first name as her first husband.
c. She married a man of whom her entire family disapproved.
d. She became the third concubine to a rich man.
d. She became the third concubine to a rich man.
What did the turtle in the pond do to An-mei’s tears?
a. The turtle laughed at her tears.
b. The turtle ate her tears.
c. The turtle drowned in her tears.
d. The turtle cringed and shook off her tears.
b. The turtle ate her tears.
What happened to the eggs that poured out of the turtle’s beak?
a. They became birds.
b. They fell to the ground and smashed.
c. They turned into magic balls.
d. They rose into the air and turned into smoke.
a. They became birds.
What emotion is usually associated with the magpies?
a. anger
b. sorrow
c. elation
d. joy
d. joy
What did the turtle tell An-mei’s mother as he drifted back into the pond?
a. He told her not to remarry.
b. He told her to be kind to her mother.
c. He told her that it is useless to cry.
d. He told her to go home to her family.
c. He told her that it is useless to cry.
How did An-mei learn not to listen to something meaningless calling to her?
a. by learning to ignore the loud sound of the clock on her bedroom wall
b. by meditating for hours at a time
c. by praying for guidance
d. by wearing earplugs during the day
a. by learning to ignore the loud sound of the clock on her bedroom wall
Why did An-mei’s mother send An-mei out of their bedroom at night?
a. because the bed was too small for two people
b. because she felt that An-mei should learn to sleep alone
c. because Wu Tsing had arrived and wanted to be with her
d. because she tired of hearing An-mei’s complaints
c. because Wu Tsing had arrived and wanted to be with her
Why did An-mei’s mother become Wu Tsing’s concubine?
a. She did it to make her family angry.
b. She did it to get back at her mother for neglecting her.
c. She did it because he paid her a vast sum of money.
d. He raped her, thus giving her no choice but to stay with him as his concubine
d. He raped her, thus giving her no choice but to stay with him as his concubine
How did An-mei’s mother die?
a. She poisoned herself.
b. She stabbed herself to death.
c. She had a heart attack.
d. She died of grief.
a. She poisoned herself.
What promise did Wu Tsing make to An-mei’s mother after she died?
a. He said that he would raise her son and daughter at his honored children.
b. He said that he would always think well of her.
c. He said that he would support her father in his old age.
d. He said that he would have her buried in a special burial plot.
a. He said that he would raise her son and daughter at his honored children.
What does An-mei say that her daughter’s psychiatrist is?
a. just another bird drinking from Rose’s misery
b. a quack
c. a nice woman but not very bright
d. a money grubber
a. just another bird drinking from Rose’s misery
How did the tired Chinese peasants get rid of the birds that were drinking their tears
and eating their seeds?
a. They prayed that they would go away.
b. They chanted and meditated.
c. They clapped their hands and shouted.
d. They put away all of the food and water that the birds were eating and drinking.
c. They clapped their hands and shouted.
How has Lena St. Clair unknowingly insulted her mother by giving her the guest bedroom in her home?
a. The guest bedroom should be the biggest and best bedroom, but Lena’s guest bedroom is tiny.
b. The room faced south and frightened her mother.
c. The room was decorated in red, an insulting color to an older Chinese woman.
d. The room was too big for one small, older lady
a. The guest bedroom should be the biggest and best bedroom, but Lena’s guest bedroom is tiny.
What did Lena do when she was born?
a. She cried right away.
b. She made her mother feel sick.
c. She squirmed around so that the nurse had to hold onto her.
d. She sprang from her mother like a slippery fish
d. She sprang from her mother like a slippery fish
When Ying-ying was a young girl in Wushi, she was lihai? What does that mean?
a. It means that she was wicked.
b. It means that she was wild and stubborn.
c. It means that she loved to read.
d. It means that her parents were uneducated.
b. It means that she was wild and stubborn.
When did Ying-ying begin to know things before they happened?
a. the night her aunt got married when Ying-ying was sixteen
b. when she was around thirty
c. when she got pregnant with her daughter
d. when her husband beat her up
a. the night her aunt got married when Ying-ying was sixteen
What sign happened to convince Ying-ying that she would marry the man who was a guest at her house?
a. A large wind blew in from the north and the flower on the table nearby split from its stem and fell at her feet.
b. She had a dream that contained every detail of the marriage.
c. He winked at her and she just knew what would follow.
d. She had always expected a tall, thin man would propose to her and the guest at her house was tall and thin
a. A large wind blew in from the north and the flower on the table nearby split from its stem and fell at her feet.
Why did Ying-ying’s husband leave her?
a. He left her because she was boring to him.
b. He left her to live with an opera singer.
c. She got sick and he didn’t want to live with a sick woman.
d. She got pregnant and he didn’t want any children.
b. He left her to live with an opera singer.
What is the difference between what Lena sees in her mother and what her mother really is?
a. Lena sees a Chinese woman, but her mother really is an American.
b. Lena sees a dumb woman, but her mother really is smart.
c. Lena sees a short person, but her mother is a tall person in her heart.
d. Lena sees a small old lady, but Ying-ying really is a tiger lady.
d. Lena sees a small old lady, but Ying-ying really is a tiger lady.
Why, according to Ying-ying, is the tiger gold and black?
a. because the gold side leaps with its fierce heart while the black side stands still with cunning and patience
b. because the gold side is evil while the black side is good
c. because it would be silly to have a blue and pink tiger
d. because the gold is beautiful and complements the black
a. because the gold side leaps with its fierce heart while the black side stands still with cunning and patience
Why does Ying-ying abort her first child?
a. because she is afraid she will die giving birth
b. because she has no money to support the child
c. because the child is going to be sickly
d. because she hates her husband, the child’s father
d. because she hates her husband, the child’s father
What did Ying-ying do for ten years at the country home of her cousin’s family?
a. She waited for a husband to come along.
b. She waited between the trees.
c. She worked as a maid.
d. She learned to perform many wifely chores.
b. She waited between the trees.
What did Ying-ying give up when she married St. Clair?
a. her free will
b. her money
c. her child
d. her spirit
d. her spirit
At the end of the story, what does Ying-ying want to do for her daughter?
a. She wants to give her daughter a lot of money.
b. She wants to build a new house for her daughter.
c. She wants to find her daughter a new husband.
d. She wants to give her daughter her own spirit
d. She wants to give her daughter her own spirit
Why does Waverly Jong want to go to China?
a. She wants to be among other people who look like her.
b. She wants to escape the boredom of San Francisco.
c. She wants to go to please her mother.
d. She wants to go there for her second honeymoon
b. She wants to escape the boredom of San Francisco.
Why could Lindo’s children not have American circumstances and Chinese character?
a. because the two things do not mix
b. because they have minds of their own
c. because they have American character and Chinese circumstances instead
d. because God willed it not to be so
a. because the two things do not mix
Who first taught Lindo about America?
a. a concubine
b. a Chinese actor
c. her husband
d. an American-raised Chinese girl in Peking
d. an American-raised Chinese girl in Peking
What kind of job did Lindo get in the cookie factory?
a. She got a job in a shop.
b. She got a job driving a taxi.
c. She got a job forming Chinese fortune cookies out of hot dough.
d. She got a job as a waitress in a Chinese restaurant.
c. She got a job forming Chinese fortune cookies out of hot dough
What was the fortune inside the cookie that Lindo gave to Tin?
a. “Hi Handsome!”
b. “A house is not home when a spouse is not at home.”
c. “Give me a call when you can.”
d. “I am lonely and available.”
b. “A house is not home when a spouse is not at home.”
Why does Waverly like the fact that she and her mother have crooked noses?
a. just because she likes to look like her mother
b. because she likes to look different
c. because she thinks they make her and her mother look devious or two-faced
d. just because it is their only flaw
c. because she thinks they make her and her mother look devious or two-faced
At the end of the story, what is Lindo wondering about?
a. She is wondering what she has lost in coming to America and what she has gotten back in return.
b. She is wondering who her daughter will marry next.
c. She is wondering how much it will cost to find a husband for her daughter.
d. She is wondering what’s for dinner.
a. She is wondering what she has lost in coming to America and what she has gotten back in return.
Why does Jing-mei feel different as her train leaves the Hong Kong border and enters Shenzhen, China?
a. because she is becoming Chinese
b. because she can no longer speak the dialect of the region she is in
c. because her mother always talked about crossing that border
d. because the air is somewhat lighter in Shenzhen
a. because she is becoming Chinese
Where is Jing-mei meeting her two half-sisters?
a. She is meeting them in Shanghai.
b. She is meeting them in Oakland.
c. She is meeting them in Canton.
d. She is meeting them in Kweilin.
a. She is meeting them in Shanghai.
How did the half-sisters learn that their mother was dead?
a. Somehow they just knew.
b. They learned that their mother was dead when Auntie Lindo wrote a letter to them as Jing-mei asked her to do.
c. Jing-mei phoned them weeks before her visit to China.
d. Jing-mei’s father secretly wrote to them so that they wouldn’t have false expectations.
b. They learned that their mother was dead when Auntie Lindo wrote a letter to them as Jing-mei asked her to do.
How did Jing-mei learn the details of what happened to her half-sisters?
a. from her father
b. from her mother’s journals
c. from Auntie Lindo
d. from the half-sisters themselves
a. from her father
Why did Jing-mei’s mother actually leave the babies?
a. because she tired of carrying them
b. because they wouldn’t have been Chinese if she had brought them to America with her
c. because she thought she was going to die and didn’t want them to die with her
d. because she traded them for a lot of money
c. because she thought she was going to die and didn’t want them to die with her
Who found the babies?
a. an old peasant woman
b. a gypsy queen
c. the mayor of a nearby town
d. a large magical dog
a. an old peasant woman
What are the two different Chinese meanings of Suyuan, Jing-mei’s mother’s name?
a. “Wonderful Mother” and “Honorable Adversary”
b. “Good Wife” and “Nagging Woman”
c. “Beautiful One” and “Light of My Life”
d. “Long Cherished Wish” and “Long-Held Grudge”
d. “Long Cherished Wish” and “Long-Held Grudge”
What are the meanings of Jing-mei’s name?
a. “Just pure essence” and “younger sister
b. “Sweet person” and “Loyal follower”
c. “Loved relation” and “Beautiful dreamer”
d. “Her Mother’s Wish” and “Difficult Child”
a. “Just pure essence” and “younger sister
