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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is Mencken's view of contemporary psychological science?
(a) The field is in chaos, with widely conflicting views.
(b) The field is surprisingly neat and orderly, with little disagreement between schools..
(c) The field is poorly funded, and suffers because of it.
(d) The field is complete quackery.

2. What BEST characterizes Mencken's view of the townspeople involved in the Scopes Monkey Trial?
(a) Backwoods hicks.
(b) Intelligent and probing.
(c) Secularists.
(d) Simple but endearing.

3. Who wrote Parsifal?
(a) Schubert.
(b) Strauss.
(c) Beethoven.
(d) Wagner.

4. Mencken sees authors as divided into which two classes?
(a) English and Continental.
(b) Sly and Overt.
(c) Dramatic and Comedic.
(d) American and Foreign.

5. Mencken has what criticism for "new poets"?
(a) They are too musical.
(b) They are too romantic and instinctive.
(c) They are too cerebral and scientific.
(d) They are too clever for their own good.

Short Answer Questions

1. A man's taste in poetry is a reflection of what?

2. Mencken reports on a boxing with which famed boxer?

3. Who does Mencken identify as the father of chiropractic?

4. Why does Mencken believe life on other planets is highly unlikely?

5. Which author does Mencken believe is for "lunch-table idealists"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What opinion does Mencken render about the Black Plague that decimated Europe in the Middle Ages?

2. In an editorial dated October, 1928, Mencken discusses schoolboys. Summarize this article. What suggestions does Mencken have for improving education?

3. What is Mencken's own philosophy of psychology? What does he feel forms the basis of human psychology?

4. Summarize Mencken's views on Mark Twain.

5. Why does Mencken make mention of Charles Joseph Bonaparte? Who was Bonaparte, and what was Mencken's opinion of him?

6. In Chapter 24, Mencken discusses art and literary criticism. How do critics influence artists? And what makes for the best kind of literary critics?

7. In Chapter 19, Mencken discusses science. Discuss his views of a) the scientific hypothesis, b) Charles Darwin, and c) Mr. Ayres' and his philosophy.

8. Summarize Mencken's views on William Dean Howells.

9. What does Mencken feel is the contemporary state of psychology? How does he feel about Freudianism?

10. What memorable position does Mencken take on opera?

(see the answer keys)

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