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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who is the real audience in a piece of writing?
(a) The author.
(b) Both the editor and author.
(c) The reader.
(d) The editor.

2. What happens when the reader loses interest in the writing?
(a) She writes a bad review.
(b) The transaction between author and writer is broken.
(c) He puts down the book.
(d) She throws the book.

3. What is one of Zissner's biggest pet peeves?
(a) When people leave the toilet seat up.
(b) When people write in their books.
(c) When people say they can write a book as if it is easy.
(d) When people dog ear the pages of a book.

4. Which is the simplest sentence?
(a) Simplicity is the opposite of clutter.
(b) Simplicity is opporite clutter.
(c) Simplicity is the direct opposite of clutter.
(d) Simplicity.

5. Who are two authors that Zissner admires for solid writing and ornamentation?
(a) Virginia Woolfe and Sylvia Plath.
(b) Norman Mailer and Tom Wolfe.
(c) Sylvia Plath and Jane Austen.
(d) Normal Mailer and Virginia Wolfe.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the transaction in writing?

2. Why does he recommend starting in the preferred tense?

3. How does Zinsser approach unusual words?

4. How does a writer become better at his craft?

5. What is the main thing readers think when starting an article?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what point of view should a writer start writing? Why?

2. What are Zinsser's thoughts on the writing profession?

3. Why does Zinsser advise against using exclamation points for astonishment?

4. Why are journalists good about de-cluttering their writing?

5. What does the surgeon in Chapter 1 think about writing?

6. What are some examples of bad writing that has to be read?

7. What does the craft of writing consist of?

8. Why does the English language change all the time? Can you give an example of a language that never changes and why?

9. When can some writers break grammar rules?

10. When can grammar rules be broken?

(see the answer keys)

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