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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to the essay "Beyond the Struggle Narrative," who is the protagonist in"12 Years a Slave"?

2. As stated in the essay "Beyond the Struggle Narrative," how many oscars was "12 Years a Slave" nominated for?

3. In the essay "Surviving Django," where does Gay say she was born?

4. At the end of the essay "The Solace of Preparing Fried Foods," what does Gay say is complicated?

5. As mentioned in the essay "Tragedy. Call. Compassion. Response." what does Gay not believe is a just punishment for committing tragic crimes?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the essay "Holding Out for a Hero," how does Gay define heroism?

2. In the essay "A Tale of Two Profiles," what did the "Rolling Stone" do that appalled Gay?

3. In the essay "When Less Is More," what phrase does Gay repeat and why does she make that decision?

4. In the essay "Beyond the Struggle Narrative," why does Gay dislike the film "12 Years a Slave"?

5. In the essay "The Last Day of a Young Black Man," how is Oscar portrayed in the film?

6. In the essay "The Solace of Preparing Fried Foods," why does Gay cry when watching "The Help"?

7. In the essay "When Twitter Does What Journalism Cannot," why does Gay say we need both traditional journalism and social media?

8. What is Gay's main criticism of "Orange Is the New Black," as analyzed in her essay "When Less Is More"?

9. In the essay "The Racism We All Carry," what personal experience does Gay include at the end to illustrate racism's prevalence?

10. In the essay "The Alienable Rights of Women," what does Gay mean by suggesting that women have good memories?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay explaining how the author uses the characters of Ruth (from the novel Green Girl) and Maria (from the novel Play It as It Lays) to strengthen her argument of the juxtaposed performance that women play in novels and in society. Use the quote, "She wants to lose herself as much as she wants to find herself" to explore this idea.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay explaining the author's narrative tone toward the repeated attacks on reproductive freedom. Include examples from the text to support your assertion.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay arguing which of the essays contains the most literary merit. Describe the essay and explain what literary aspects deem the essay excellent.

(see the answer keys)

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