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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 did the Black Plague mostly kill off, according to Mencken?

2. Which is NOT one of the negative effects Mencken mentions in regards to Prohibition?

3. Who was the attorney on the side of the prosecution in the Scopes Monkey Trial?

4. In Chapter 23, Mencken attends a church service during the Scopes Monkey Trial. What is his impression of that service?

5. Who was the father of the American short story?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mencken make mention of Sister Aimee? Who was Sister Aimee, and what was Mencken's opinion of her?

2. Summarize Mencken's views on inspiration, as recounted in Chapter 25.

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

4. What does Mencken believe about chiropractors?

5. What insight does Mencken provide about physical disease/illness?

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

7. How does Mencken compare socialism to capitalism? Include the Bolshevik Revolution in your response.

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

9. What is Mencken's opinion of the teaching profession? How does he compare and contrast teaching styles of his schoolboy days to today?

10. Summarize Mencken's account of the Scopes Monkey Trial and his impression of the town of Dayton, Tennessee.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Summarize Mencken's views on women. Discuss each of the following topics:

a) Women's level of intelligence

b) Women's level of civility

c) The institution of marriage, and how it affects men and women

d) The role of beauty in man-woman relationships

e) The role of romantic love in man-woman relationships

Essay Topic 2

Describe in-depth Mencken's views of the following people (and specific works, if applicable):

1) Ludwig van Beethoven

2) Richard Strauss

3) Johann Strauss

4) Johannes Brahms

5) Richard Wagner

6) Franz Schubert

Essay Topic 3

Choose five of the types of people Mencken discusses in Chapter 2 and discuss:

a) The manner in which Mencken describes them

b) What Mencken believes motivates each type of people

c) What the defining characteristics of each type of people are

(see the answer keys)

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