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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. Where does Bryson find "real New England"?

2. What happened to the settlers of Roanoke, VA?

3. When the hotel owner in Littleton promises Bryson a good room, what is Bryson thinking?

4. How frequently does the waitress in Littleton refill Bryson's water glass?

5. Where was Bryson's brother living recently?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Bryson similar to the pilgrims?

2. Why does Bryson "believe" Littleton has been taken over by aliens?

3. Why is Bryson relieved to be back in Iowa?

4. How does Bryson feel after visiting Gettysburg? Why?

5. What is the unspoken connection with travelers?

6. Why doesn't Bryson mind bad service in restaurants?

7. In Bryson's opinion, how is poverty relative?

8. How does Bryson imagine he should act in New York?

9. Is Bryson sympathetic to impoverished people? Why or why not?

10. How does Bryson recognize long distance travelers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss who Bryson's audience is: who is he writing for? What are subtleties in his writing that imply an aim at a certain audience? Who is he trying to appeal to and why?

Essay Topic 2

Bryson becomes very afraid in several cities and towns in America, thinking he is in imminent danger. Discuss the source of Bryson's fear, what about his background encourages it, and how it affects his travels and our journey with him.

Essay Topic 3

Bryson expressed his objective of returning to the land of his youth at the beginning of the book. Discuss Bryson's successes or failures in his objective.

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