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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 Paul drink as soon as he gets off the plane?

2. What does Paul say is Segarra's role on the newspaper?

3. What was Al's job before he became a bar owner?

4. Where had Duke Peterson just come back from?

5. Who does Paul see in the airport line?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Paul do on his first day at the newspaper?

2. Describe the San Juan News.

3. Why does Paul decide to go out drinking the night before he flies to Puerto Rico?

4. Why does Paul give Yeaman and Sala a bad impression?

5. How does Paul feel about Yeaman and Chanault's relationship in Chapter 3?

6. In what way do all the characters working on the newspaper give Paul a bad first impression of his new job and life in San Juan ?

7. What does Paul do when he sees the pretty girl standing in the line?

8. What does Paul think Segarra's role is at the newspaper?

9. How is Yeaman coping with losing his job?

10. Why do neither Paul nor Sala like to stay in Sala's apartment?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Thompson's life. In what way do you think his life and personality is reflected in the book? In what ways is he like or unlike the main character?

Essay Topic 2

What similarities does the Rum Diary share with Hunter S. Thompson's later work in terms of the following:

1) Style

2) Themes

3) Politics

Essay Topic 3

In what way is Yeoman different from the other male characters in the book? How much is this difference due to his youth? Why do you think Paul is constantly comparing himself to Yeoman?

(see the answer keys)

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