Dial A for Aunties Full-Book Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, and Themes

Quiz: Plot and Sequence (Questions 1–8) 1. What event sets the main plot in motion? A) Meddy's camera breaks at a wedding B) Meddy's mother arranges a blind date for her C) Meddy gets a job offer in New York D) The family's bakery burns down 2. After the family decides to dispose of Jake's body, where do they temporarily hide it? A) In the trunk of Meddy's car B) In a cooler at Big Aunt's bakery C) In the ocean D) In a hotel room 3. When the family opens the cooler at the resort, who do they find inside? A) Jake, alive B) Ah Guan, dead C) Nathan D) A stranger 4. What happens to Ah Guan's body during the wedding ceremony? A) It is thrown into the ocean B) It is discovered by the bride C) It collapses on the altar, causing chaos D) It is taken to the hospital 5. Who is arrested for Ah Guan's murder? A) Meddy B) Maureen C) Nathan D) Big Aunt 6. How does Meddy get Nathan released from custody? A) She confesses to the murder B) She fabricates a story about Ah Guan being a thief C) She bribes the sheriff D) She finds the real killer 7. What is Maureen's true motivation for stealing the tea ceremony gifts? A) She wanted to sell them for money B) She was in love with Jacqueline and wanted to stop the wedding C) She was jealous of Meddy D) She was paid by a rival family 8. In the epilogue, how does Nathan propose to Meddy? A) With a ring in a champagne glass B) With a ring in a bamboo steamer C) With a ring on a yacht D) With a ring during a photoshoot ## Quiz: Character Motivation (Questions 9–13) 9. Why does Meddy break up with Nathan in college? A) She falls in love with someone else B) She feels obligated to stay with her family C) She wants to move to New York alone D) Nathan cheats on her 10. Why does Ma create a dating profile for Meddy? A) To embarrass Meddy B) To find Meddy a husband C) To get free meals D) To spy on Meddy 11. Why does the family decide to dispose of the body instead of calling the police? A) They believe the police will suspect murder B) They want to protect the wedding business C) They are afraid of deportation D) They think Jake deserved to die 12. Why does Nathan agree to help Meddy hide the truth about the body? A) He is afraid of the sheriff B) He still loves Meddy and regrets not fighting for her C) He wants to protect the resort's reputation D) He is blackmailed by Meddy 13. Why does Meddy decide to take the blame alone in Chapter 30? A) She wants to go to prison B) She wants to protect her family from prosecution C) She is angry at her family D) She wants to impress Nathan ## Quiz: Theme and Symbol (Questions 14–17) 14. What does the “family curse” symbolize in the novel? A) The inevitability of death B) The fear of abandonment and the family's protective instinct C) The power of superstition D) The dangers of dating 15. What does the cooler containing the body symbolize? A) The family's complicity and the absurdity of their situation B) The importance of refrigeration C) The wedding industry's excess D) The characters' fear of the police 16. What does the wedding itself symbolize in the novel? A) The triumph of love B) The clash between tradition and modernity, and the facade of perfection C) The importance of family business D) The dangers of alcohol 17. What does the bamboo steamer in the epilogue symbolize? A) The family's cooking skills B) Tradition, family, and love C) The wedding business D) Meddy's photography career ## Quiz: Synthesis (Questions 18–20) 18. Short answer: How does the novel explore the immigrant experience? 19. Short answer: Compare Meddy's relationship with Nathan to her relationship with her family. 20. Short answer: What is the significance of the title Dial A for Aunties? ## Answer Key 1. B — Ma's catfishing date with Jake is the inciting incident; the crash and body disposal drive the plot. 2. B — The family stashes the body in a cooler at Big Aunt's bakery, which is accidentally shipped to the resort. 3. B — The man in the cooler is Ah Guan, Ma's lily supplier, not Jake; he was alive when placed inside and suffocated. 4. C — The drugged groomsmen prop Ah Guan's corpse on the altar; it collapses during the ceremony, causing panic. 5. C — Sheriff McConnell arrests Nathan, assuming he is the killer. 6. B — Meddy fabricates a story that Ah Guan was a thief who hid in a cooler and suffocated, convincing the sheriff to release Nathan. 7. B — Maureen planned to return the gifts and hoped Jacqueline would come to talk; she confesses her love for Jacqueline. 8. B — Nathan proposes with a ring presented in a bamboo steamer at Sunday dim sum. 9. B — Meddy feels obligated to support her family and fears the curse, so she ends the relationship. 10. B — Ma wants Meddy to find a husband and be happy, so she poses as her on a dating site. 11. A — Ma insists they dispose of the body because she fears the police will suspect murder. 12. B — Nathan still loves Meddy and regrets not fighting for her in the past, so he agrees to help. 13. B — Meddy wants to shield her family from prosecution, especially after realizing Ah Guan was alive when they put him in the cooler. 14. B — The curse represents the family's fear of abandonment, but Ma reframes it as a blessing that brought them closer. 15. A — The cooler symbolizes the family's collective complicity and the darkly absurd situation they are trapped in. 16. B — The wedding contrasts lavish tradition with underlying chaos, highlighting the tension between appearance and reality. 17. B — The bamboo steamer ties the proposal to family meals and cultural heritage, symbolizing love and belonging. 18. Sample answer: The novel shows the immigrant experience through language barriers—the aunties' broken English reflects their sacrifice—and through Meddy's feeling of displacement between cultures. 19. Sample answer: Meddy's relationship with Nathan represents personal desire and independence, while her family represents filial duty and obligation; she must balance the two throughout the story. 20. Sample answer: The title suggests the aunties are always available to help, and the novel is a love letter to family and their fierce, protective love. For deeper analysis, see the book overview, questions and answers, and ending explained.