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

PROLOGUE-CHAPTER 3

Reading Check

1. What is Park’s name for North Korea?

2. What organization visits Park’s mother after she repeats a rumor regarding the death of Kim Il Sung?

3. What entanglement of Ung Rook’s ancestral connection contributes to his poor songbun status?

Short Answer

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

1. What encourages Park to author her memoir, and how does the authorship of her memoir aid in her emotional healing?

2. How does Park describe her life in Hyesan, and what is the impact of scarcity on the people in her hometown?

3. How is North Korea’s caste system structured, and what contributes to the rise and downfall of the Sik family in the eyes of the North Korean government?

Paired Resource

“North Korea’s Caste System: The Trouble with Songbun”

• This article from Foreign Affairs explores the limitations of the songbun caste system in North Korea.
• Shared themes include The Meaning of Freedom.
• What was the North Korean government’s purpose in developing the songbun caste system? How does the songbun system impact individuals who live in North Korea?