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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. O'Rourke argues that pollution is a byproduct of what?

2. What percent of poor people in America own telephones, according to George Gilder?

3. What is the name of the hurricane that O'Rourke's wife asked him about?

4. O'Rourke accuses ecological activists of ignoring what?

5. How did O'Rourke feel about the USS Mobile Bay?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does O'Rourke feel about Social Security after visiting the AARP?

2. How did Blatherboro block the completion of a local golf course?

3. How does O'Rourke feel about the government's treatment of the nation's problem with drugs?

4. How does O'Rourke suggest solving the problem of students dropping out of school?

5. Why does O'Rourke say Americans will not find a solution to the problem of drugs in the country?

6. How does O'Rourke feel about the housing project he visits in Newark?

7. How does O'Rourke feel about claims of collateral damage during Operation Just Cause?

8. Why does O'Rourke fault environmentalists for making "big business" out to be the enemy?

9. How does O'Rourke feel about the Guardian Angels after his experience with them?

10. How does O'Rourke feel about Panama when he goes there in the wake of Operation Just Cause?

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 O'Rourke's view of special interest groups. What does the author dislike about special interest groups? How does he characterize them? How does he characterize the people who are involved in them? What specific groups does he talk about? What problems does he see with them? What role does he believe special interest groups play in the politics?

Essay Topic 3

Explore the significance of Michael Dukakis in the book. How does O'Rourke use Dukakis' past experience as governor to mock him? What problems did he see with the way Dukakis led? What problems did he see with the promises Dukakis made to the U.S. citizens?

(see the answer keys)

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