61 pages 2 hours read

Julie Otsuka

The Buddha in the Attic

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2011

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During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

CHAPTERS 1-3

Reading Check

1. What is the first thing the women on the boat do?

2. What port does the women’s boat sail into?

3. One of the husbands is described as having a Hiroshima dialect. What does this reveal about his occupation?

4. What does one of the women contract when she drinks water from an irrigation ditch?

5. What do the white women do concerning the Japanese women’s names?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What do the women wonder about on the boat, and what does this show about the experience of being a picture bride?

2. What is the woman from Nagoya’s background? What questions do the other women ask her?

3. What does the repetition of “they took us” refer to, and how does this particular phrasing emphasize the relationship between the women and their husbands?

4. What is the first English word the women learn, and what is the importance of knowing it?

5. How do the white farm owners feel about the Japanese immigrant workers? What does this show about their attitude toward migrant workers?