Real Americans Quiz: 20 Questions on Plot, Characters, and Themes

Quiz Questions 20 questions covering the full arc of Real Americans—from May's childhood in a Yangtze village to Nick's biotech career in 2030 San Francisco. Questions are grouped by type, and the complete answer key with explanations follows. If you get stuck, review the book overview or the ending explained before checking your answers. For deeper discussion of specific scenes, see the questions and answers page. ### Plot and Sequence (Questions 1–8) Question 1. During the Cultural Revolution, what does May do with the ancient lotus seed she and Ping rescue from the library display case? - A) She buries it by the lake with her mother's bracelet - B) She swallows it - C) She hides it in a lacquer box - D) She gives it to Lanlan for safekeeping Question 2. Arrange these events in the order they occur in the novel: - A) May escapes to Hong Kong → May arrives in America → May develops gene therapy → Nick is born - B) May arrives in America → May escapes to Hong Kong → Nick is born → May develops gene therapy - C) May develops gene therapy → May escapes to Hong Kong → May arrives in America → Nick is born - D) May escapes to Hong Kong → May develops gene therapy → May arrives in America → Nick is born Question 3. How do Lily and Matthew first meet? - A) At a museum opening in New York - B) At Jerry's holiday party, where Matthew wins a plasma TV and offers it to her - C) On a flight to Paris - D) Through a mutual friend at a dinner party Question 4. What causes Lily's repeated miscarriages? - A) Stress from her unpaid internship - B) A genetic condition involving chromosomal abnormalities - C) A side effect of the gene therapy her mother gave her - D) An undiagnosed thyroid disorder Question 5. How does Nick first discover the identity of his biological father? - A) His mother tells him on his sixteenth birthday - B) He finds an old photograph in his mother's belongings - C) He and Timothy order DNA testing kits, and a fifty-percent match appears - D) Matthew contacts him directly through social media Question 6. What happens to Samuel, Matthew's other son? - A) He moves to Europe to escape the family - B) He collapses at his desk from an overdose and stops breathing - C) He reconciles with Nick and joins the foundation - D) He marries Miranda and settles in New York Question 7. What does Nick find in his mother's donation bag when helping her pack for her move? - A) His father's letters - B) Two identical silk dresses, one black and one blue - C) The jade bracelet - D) A DNA testing kit Question 8. What is the final scene of the novel? - A) Nick watches fireworks with Miranda - B) May dies alone in her apartment - C) Lily walks into May's room as May dictates a letter to Nick - D) Matthew and Nick reconcile at the foundation ### Character Motivation (Questions 9–13) Question 9. Why does May choose to leave China with Wen rather than stay with Ping? - A) She no longer loves Ping - B) She believes love is not a sturdy enough foundation for a life and wants a better future - C) Ping refuses to leave China - D) Her family arranges the marriage to Wen Question 10. Why does Lily withhold saying