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

Chapters 1-6

Reading Check

1. Where are Alex and his father going?

2. What does Alex develop a fascination with after his parents’ separation?

3. Who is Alex and Ted’s guide when they arrive in Beijing?

4. What historical structure does Alex visit with the guide?

5. What does Eddie claim the guide is?

Short Answer

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

1. Why does Alex wish his father would realize there are other things in the world than lenses and video cassettes?

2. What is one cultural difference between dining habits in the “West” and those in the “East”?

Paired Resource

What Is a Betacam?

• This 4-minute video describes a Betacam, what it is used for, and how technology has changed.
• What is a Betacam used for? What is the cost of a Betacam? How has technology changed since the time when this piece of equipment was commonly used? How is this video’s content connected to the novel’s theme of Journalistic Integrity as a Means of Democracy?

“The Great Wall of China”