View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the Amendments to the U.S. Constitution deals with the right to "keep and bear arms"?

2. What is the name of the agency that dealt with an outbreak of "runaway car syndrome"?

3. What exists in a state of perpetual failure because motion is valued above direction and achievement?

4. What ball did O'Rourke peek in on where he saw boogying and people playing the electric guitar?

5. For how long has an agency had to deal with "runaway car syndrome"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does O'Rourke feel that the American political system is like a Mexican Christmas fiesta?

2. Describe the world O'Rourke envisions when he points out the flaws of the "majority rules" system.

3. What examples does O'Rourke give to say that America's government now embodies the same tyrannical bent that compelled the American colonies to secede from England?

4. Why does O'Rourke seem to believe that being a congressman is a thankless job?

5. What did O'Rourke learn from an anonymous functionary at the Department of Transportation?

6. What did a study show about the Audi 500 and its supposed runaway car syndrome?

7. How does O'Rourke describe the Republican and Democratic platforms during the 1988 elections?

8. What does O'Rourke say is the best way to truly understand the function of government?

9. What problems does O'Rourke see with the U.S. Constitution?

10. How does O'Rourke describe one-minute speeches?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the author describe journalists? How does he seem to feel about these people? What techniques does the author use to show his opinions of Washington journalists? Why might his feelings about journalists be ironic? Does he address this irony?

Essay Topic 2

Explore the perspective used in this nonfiction work. How would O'Rourke's lessons about the government be different if they were written from a third-person perspective, like they would be in a text book? What could the reader gain from a less personal perspective? What is gained from the first-person perspective and the first-hand examples that he uses instead?

Essay Topic 3

The purpose of O'Rouke's book is to criticize the U.S. government and explain the problems he sees with it. Based on the ideas he shares in the book, what would O'Rourke's ideal government look like? How would it be run? How would citizens be treated? Use examples from the text to support your claims.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 910 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample