The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories

Multiple Choice and Long Answer questions create ideal opportunities for whole-text review, unit exam, or summative assessments.

Multiple Choice

1. In “The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species,” which of the following best describes the attitude of the Hesperoe to writing?

A) They value it for its visual beauty.

B) They distrust it and prefer oral traditions.

C) The revere it religiously.

D) They see it as a coming-of-age milestone.

2. In “State Change,” what lesson does Amy learn at the end of the story?

A) Life is a series of extraordinary moments.

B) People who play it safe are rewarded.

C) Friendship is the only true constant.

D) Change is necessary for growth.

3. In “The Perfect Match,” why don’t Sai and Ellen begin a relationship?

A) Ellen finds Sai rude and condescending.

B) Sai’s distrust of Tilly makes Ellen uncomfortable.

C) Ellen’s physical appearance didn’t match her photo.

D) Tilly told Sai that Ellen wasn’t a good match.

4. In “Good Hunting,” how does Mister Thompson reassert control over his Chinese employees?

A) He kills one of them to scare the others.

B) He threatens Yan.

C) He breaks their Buddha statue.

D) He gives them more work to do.

5. In “The Literomancer,” why is Lilly’s mirror effective against the school bullies?

A) It reflects their evil back at them.

B) The bullies cut their fingers on the glass.

C) It makes Lilly invisible.

D) It takes away the bullies’ voices.

6. In “Simulacrum,” why can’t Anna forgive her father?

A) He cheated on her mother.

B) He was absent from her childhood.

C) He didn’t take responsibility for his actions.

D) He chose her simulacrum over her.

7. In “The Regular,” why does Ruth blame herself for her daughter Jess’s death?

A) Jess followed Ruth on a mission and was killed.

B) Ruth sacrificed Jess’s life to save someone else.

C) Ruth took too long to find Jess when she was missing.

D) Ruth allowed her emotions to cloud her judgment.

8. In “The Paper Menagerie,” why does Jack’s mother send out paper cranes?

A) To bring good luck and prosperity

B) To send messages to her family

C) To entertain Jack

D) To influence the weather

9. In “An Advanced Readers’ Picture Book of Comparative Cognition,” why does the narrator compare their wife to stories of animal shapeshifters?

A) The narrator’s wife is inhuman.

B) The narrator’s wife believes in old myths and legends.

C) The narrator and their wife believed they could change each other.

D) The narrator wants to transform into something else.

10. In “The Waves,” how does João prefer to communicate?

A) With written messages

B) By speaking out loud

C) Telepathically

D) Through physical gestures

11. In “Mono no aware,” what does Hiroto’s father tell him and his mother to do outside the spaceport?

A) Fight for a place at the front of the line

B) Help older people get on first

C) Go home and find a new plan

D) Wait patiently and refrain from asking questions

12. In “All the Flavors,” how does Logan intimidate Obee in court?

A) He uses a traditional Chinese ceremony.

B) He physically threatens him.

C) He tells the jury a story.

D) He confesses a secret.

13. In “A Brief History of the Trans-Pacific Tunnel,” why does Charlie decide to live permanently underground?

A) All his family is gone.

B) The tunnel needs constant repairs.

C) The outside world is too challenging for his senses.

D) He fell in love with someone underground.

14. In “The Litigation Master and the Monkey King,” why does Tian teach the neighborhood children a song?

A) To distract himself from his pain

B) To share a part of history

C) To cause a diversion

D) To earn his freedom

15. In “The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary,” what key word does Akemi regret using in her statement?

A) Honor

B) Sacrifice

C) Illusion

D) Stereotype

Long Answer

Compose a response of 2-3 sentences, incorporating text details to support your response.

1. How is the theme of personal sacrifice presented across the stories?

2. How does the author use multiple generations, or characters of different ages, to explore the central themes?