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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. Who does the narrator mention as a negative part of Van Culture?

2. What does the narrator ruminate on as he sits in the tunnel?

3. What item is marketed to both cyclists and ladies in the Johnson Smith catalog?

4. Who does the narrator say are not heroes anymore?

5. What is the picture on the side of the bus that stops beside the narrator?

Short Essay Questions

1. What prompts the narrator's memory about the great ice cream war?

2. What are the typical bumper sticker messages found on campers as opposed to the stickers found on vans?

3. How does the narrator's experience in the Lincoln Tunnel mirror his demeanor during his school years?

4. How does the narrator recall growing up in his family in small-town Indiana?

5. Describe how Mr. Leggett managed to drive The Happy Cow out of business.

6. Why do people find items such as those found in the Johnson Smith catalog to be humorous?

7. Define a BNA and cite some supporting examples.

8. What scenario does the narrator imagine in which archaeologists discover television advertising and what are their perceptions of it?

9. What prompts the narrator to think about advertising and a future archaeological dig where New York City is excavated?

10. With what does the narrator credit the Johnson Smith catalog for being and how will it stand up as an American culture artifact?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a "character" sketch of the state of New Jersey. What personality shines through for you for this state? Did Shepherd make you want to learn more and perhaps visit one day? What would you most like to see? What is the one fact or interesting feature that you can recall about New Jersey? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

There are several events of foreshadowing in the stories. Define foreshadowing. Cite at least two situations in the stories that serve as foreshadowing.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the overall settings for the stories. What is important about each setting as it is revealed? What are the time periods of the stories? How important are the time periods to the attitudes and issues of the people?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,277 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample