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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. Two words likely to be found on the bumper stickers of vans are love and ____________.

2. What is the narrator's brother's name?

3. How did the narrator arrive at the correct answer to the equation in front of the Algebra class?

4. Where did the narrator meet his friend, Howard, for lunch?

5. What did the narrator's father do first when he came home from work?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the differences in driving styles between the Camper Crowd and van people?

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

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

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

5. Who is Howard and why is he so depressed about the word "lemon"?

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

7. How does the narrator speculate that the archaeologists might think the commercials are somehow religious media?

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

9. What is the imaginary Sociology lecture the narrator gives on car culture and describe the differences between the Camper Crowd and Van people.

10. What ironies does the narrator point out in the actuality of camper and van usage as opposed to the typical perceptions of the vehicles?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Shepherd was a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony. Briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Describe the narrator's character. What are his similarities to Jean Shepherd? Do you think the narrator's character was based on Shepherd himself? Cite your reasons for your opinion.

(see the answer keys)

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