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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. What does Bryson mean by the "wasteland"?

2. What does Bryson say about the long trip and back to take his son to college?

3. In "Enough Already," which item comes in 18 varieties in American supermarkets?

4. In "The Great Indoors," what does Bryson say people in America have developed a dislike of?

5. In regards to his son's university education, what is Bryson so shocked about?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "The Flying Nightmare," Bryson compares modern air travel with air travel from his youth in the 1960s and 70s. List three points he makes.

2. In "Deck the Halls," Bryson tells his readers that he is not looking forward to Christmas decorating. Why is this?

3. In "Hail to the Chief," Bryson looks at the American holiday of Presidents Day. Give three points about the day that Bryson mentions.

4. "Book Tours", Bryson talks about his fondness for book tours. Why does he like them?

5. "The Best American Holiday," Bryson explains why he loves Thanksgiving so much. List three things that he enthuses about the holiday.

6. In "Enough Already," Bryson says there is just too much of everything in America (except time, money, good plumbers, and polite people). What examples does he give to back this up? Why does he think it is not a good thing?

7. "The Myteries of Christmas" compares American Christmases and English Christmases. How does Bryson compare the two holidays?

8. "Highway Diversions" is Bryson's look at highway travel, which he says is very dull. How does he compare modern highway travel to the highway travel of his youth?

9. Bryson titled "The Waste Generation". Give three examples of why he thinks the generation of Americans in the 1990s is a wasteful one.

10. In "The Wasteland," what is Bryson criticizing? Name three points of his criticism.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the beginning of the memoir, in the Introduction and Anecdote 1 "Coming Home," Bill Bryson explains how he came to write the anecdotes that comprise "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" and the process by which he relocated his family in the United States. Define the component of the literary element of plot known as "exposition." What purpose does it serve in writing? Give four examples of Bryson's use of exposition in the Introduction and in Anecdote 1 that enhance the memoir.

Essay Topic 2

What role does the Bryson family play in the memoir "I'm a Stranger Here Myself"? Are they as important to the narrative as the author and the environment? Give four examples where the other members of the family are central to the story-telling. Give four examples where the narrative is focused only on Bill and the community/the United States.

Essay Topic 3

Define "the writer's purpose" and give four examples of different genres of writing. Explain the writer's purpose for each one. Apply the definition to "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" and discuss Bill Bryson's purpose in writing the memoir. If you think he has succeeded, give examples to back up your assertion.

(see the answer keys)

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