Two Kinds Quiz

In this quote, Jing-mei talks about how she imagines herself being perfect: "In all of my imaginings, I was filled with a sense that I would soon become perfect. My mother and father would adore me. I would be beyond reproach. I would never feel the need to sulk for anything." What does this quote show about Jing-mei’s inner struggle?

• She is trying to avoid doing chores

• She wants to feel accepted and loved by her parents

• She believes she is already perfect

• She wants to become rich and famous

Answer explanation

This quote reveals Jing-mei's desire for acceptance and love from her parents. She imagines that achieving perfection would lead to their adoration, highlighting her inner struggle for validation and emotional connection.

Jing-mei’s mother gives her many tests to try to find her talent. At first, Jing-mei tries to succeed, but eventually she stops trying. What is one reason Jing-mei gives up?

• She doesn't understand the tests

• She thinks her mother is pushing her to be something she is not

• She gets nervous during practice

• She would rather play with her friends

Answer explanation

Jing-mei gives up because she feels overwhelmed by her mother's constant pressure, believing that her mother will never stop pushing her to succeed, which leads to her loss of motivation.

In this quote, Jing-mei hears a voice inside her head when she struggles: "If you don't hurry up and get me out of here, I'm disappearing for good... And then you'll always be nothing." What does this voice represent?

• A ghost haunting her

• Her fear of failure and pressure to be great

• Her mother’s actual voice

• Her piano teacher’s warning

Answer explanation

The voice represents Jing-mei's fear of failure and the immense pressure to achieve greatness, reflecting her internal struggle and anxiety about not living up to expectations.

After failing another test, Jing-mei looks in the mirror and says: "When I saw only my face staring back—and that it would always be this ordinary face—I began to cry." Why is she upset in this moment?

• She is tired from too many lessons

• She is scared she will get in trouble

• She sees she is not special in the way she hoped

• She doesn’t like her haircut

Answer explanation

Jing-mei is upset because she realizes that her face, which she perceives as ordinary, reflects her feelings of inadequacy and disappointment in not being special as she had hoped.

Later, Jing-mei sees a new side of herself in the mirror: "The girl staring back at me was angry, powerful... I won’t let her change me... I won’t be what I’m not." What does this moment show about her thinking?

• She now wants to work harder at piano

• She has given up, but chooses defiance as her new strength

• She is ready to become just like her mom

• She is proud of her achievements

Answer explanation

This moment reveals Jing-mei's acceptance of her anger and strength, indicating she has given up on conforming to expectations. Instead, she embraces defiance as a form of empowerment, rejecting the pressure to change.

Jing-mei starts pretending to be bored when her mother gives her tests: "I got so bored I started counting the bellows of the foghorns out on the bay..." What do the sounds of the foghorns represent in this moment?

• A game she plays with her mom

• A warning that she’s slowly giving up on herself

• Her love for nature

• Something that helps her focus better

Answer explanation

The foghorns symbolize Jing-mei's growing disinterest and resignation towards her mother's expectations, indicating that she is slowly giving up on herself rather than engaging with the tests.

Jing-mei says the foghorn sounds remind her of “the cow jumping over the moon.” What does this show about her?

• She is being childish

• She wants to become a writer

• She believes in fairy tales

• She is remembering a dream

Answer explanation

Jing-mei's reference to "the cow jumping over the moon" indicates her playful and imaginative nature. This whimsical imagery shows that she retains a sense of wonder and creativity, highlighting her youthful spirit.

After hearing Auntie Lindo brag about Waverly, Jing-mei’s mom brags back by saying her daughter is full of natural musical talent: "If we ask Jing-mei wash dish, she hear nothing but music. It’s like you can’t stop this natural talent.” How does Jing-mei feel when her mother says this?

• She feels proud

• She feels exposed, like her mother is writing her story for her

• She thinks her mom is lying

• She is excited to prove her mother right

Answer explanation

Jing-mei feels exposed because her mother is defining her identity and talents in front of others, making her feel like she has no control over her own story.

After hearing her mom brag, Jing-mei says: "And right then, I was determined to put a stop to her foolish pride." What does this show about her relationship with her mother?

• She wants her mother to stop embarrassing her

• She enjoys playing tricks on her mom

• She wants to stop her mom from controlling her story

• She wants to become more like Waverly

Answer explanation

This shows Jing-mei's desire for autonomy and her frustration with her mother's pride, indicating she wants to assert control over her own narrative rather than let her mother dictate it.

As Jing-mei grows up, she stops trying to meet her mother’s goals and makes her own choices: "In the years that followed, I failed her so many times, each time asserting my own will, my right to fall short of expectations." What has happened to Jing-mei over time?

• She becomes proud of her choices

• She feels free and happy

• She becomes stuck in only trying to defy her mother

• She still tries to win her mother’s approval

Answer explanation

Over time, Jing-mei asserts her independence but becomes trapped in a cycle of defiance against her mother, focusing more on rejecting her expectations than on finding her own path.