Human Acts Quizzes

Human Acts Quiz for Chapters 1-2

By Isabella Ribeiro · Edited by James Cooper · Last reviewed January 26, 2025

1 Who narrates the first chapter?

Dong-ho

Jeong-dae

Dong-ho's mother

Jeong-mi
2 What narrative perspective does the first chapter use?

Third-person omniscient point of view

Third-person limited point of view

Second-person point of view

First-person point of view
3 What kind of trees does Dong-ho see outside the Provincial Office?

Jolcham Oak

Korean red pine

Ginkgo trees

White forsythia
4 What do people sing during the funerals?

A K-pop song

Traditional Korean folk hits

American pop

The National Anthem
5 What is the practical purpose of candles in Chapter 1?

To keep warm

To have something to meditate on

To dispel the smell of death

To perform a ritual
6 What do candles symbolize?

Religious ritual

Mourning and imprints of departed people's souls

Birds

Nothing
7 Describe Dong-ho's work in Chapter 1.

He organizes protests.

Mostly administrative; he takes notes and helps direct people where to go.

Mostly physical; he does the heavy lifting with all the bodies.

He gives order to the other citizens at the Provincial Office,
8 What fundamental question does Dong-ho raise concerning the Taegukgi and national anthem?

Why employ nationalist symbols at the funerals of those killed by the nation?

Why do the soldiers not represent the nation?

How to not betray one's nation?

Why does everyone have to love nationalist symbols?
9 How does Eun-sook respond to Dong-ho questioning why they use the national anthem and flag for the funerals?

Eun-sook states that the generals seized power unlawfully and thus do not represent the nation.

Eun-sook thinks that using the flag and singing the anthem are like the moment of silence.

Eun-sook remains silent in the face of Dong-ho's angry questioning.

Eun-sook agrees with Dong-ho's critique.
10 Whose death does Dong-ho recall?

His grandmother's

His own

His mother's

His brother's
11 What imagery does Dong-ho use to speak about his grandmother's death?

He compares her body to the ginkgo trees

He compares her soul to a bird

He compares her soul to a flickering flame

He sees his grandmother in the rain
12 What does Eun-sook bring to Dong-ho?

A redacted manuscript

A dead bird

A sponge cake and yogurt

Forgiveness
13 What reason does Dong-ho give in refusing to come home?

He tells everyone about his survivor's guilt.

He wants to find Jeong-dae first.

He misses Jeong-mi.

He feels a sense of duty to stay until the end.
14 Who narrates Chapter 2?

Jin-su

Jeong-mi

Dong-ho

Jeong-dae
15 What differentiates Chapter 2 from the rest of the chapters?

The narrator has already died.

The narrator is dreaming.

The narrator was traumatized.

The narrator contemplates death.
16 What does Hang compare the pile of bodies to?

A bird

A monstrous, fantastical beast

Babel

A funeral pyre
17 Can Jeong-dae communicate with anyone?

He sees the living and feels the presence of other souls but cannot communicate.

He can only see the other recently deceased.

He can speak to Dong-ho and his sister once he finds them.

He speaks to nature and nature responds, assuaging his loneliness.
18 Define "zenith."

The darkest hour of the night

A deep wish or desire

The time at which something is most powerful or successful

A god or ruler on a throne
19 What does Jeong-dae think about to deal with his fear?

The pile of bodies

Memories of his sister

His death

The moon
20 What primary questions consume Jeong-dae?

Why are humans capable of violence?

Why sing the national anthem at their funeral?

Who killed him and his sister, and why?

Why doesn't nature comfort him?
21 Finish this quote: "I wanted to shuck off my body ___"

and be free to fly

like an ear of corn

as a snake sheds its skin

like two peas in a pod
22 What point of view is Chapter 2 written in?

Second-person point of view

Third-person omniscient point of view

First-person point of view

Third-person limited point of view
23 What do the soldiers do to the pile of bodies at the end of the chapter?

Bury everyone in a mass grave.

Let the bodies naturally decompose.

Perform funeral rites.

Set it on fire.
24 Where does Jeong-dae decide to go at the end of the chapter?

To Dong-ho

To his sister

To his parents

To his school
25 What does Jeong-dae realize about Dong-ho?

Jeong-dae sees Dong-ho searching for him.

Jeong-dae sees Dong-ho return home.

Jeong-dae can sense when Dong-ho dies.

Jeong-dae blames Dong-ho for leaving him.

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