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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. Which is NOT one of the features of the typical school day, as envisioned by Mencken?
2. Which is NOT one of the benefits Mencken sees should America put into place his ideas in "Utopian Flights"?
3. In Chapter 15, Mencken expresses surprise that no one has violated the tomb of which man?
4. What is the second-worst job in the world, according to Chapter 17?
5. Who wrote Sextet for Strings, Opus 18, which Mencken greatly praises?
Short Essay Questions
1. Why does Mencken criticize the American Medical Association? What is his opinion of doctors as a professional class?
2. Summarize Mencken's views on Mark Twain.
3. What is Mencken's opinion of the music of Johann Strauss? Why wasn't Strauss' music more well-received in America?
4. What does Mencken feel is the contemporary state of psychology? How does he feel about Freudianism?
5. In Chapter 24, Mencken discusses art and literary criticism. How do critics influence artists? And what makes for the best kind of literary critics?
6. Summarize Mencken's views on inspiration, as recounted in Chapter 25.
7. In an editorial dated October, 1928, Mencken discusses schoolboys. Summarize this article. What suggestions does Mencken have for improving education?
8. Why does Mencken make mention of Charles Joseph Bonaparte? Who was Bonaparte, and what was Mencken's opinion of him?
9. Describe the following under the category of what Mencken calls "'The Lesser Arts": a) oil painting, b) drama.
10. How does Mencken compare socialism to capitalism? Include the Bolshevik Revolution in your response.
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
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
Essay Topic 2
1) Discuss Mencken's view of socialism. What effect has socialism has on the world?
2) Compare and contrast Mencken's view of capitalism with that of socialism.
3) Relate Mencken's view of human nature with his view of economics. How do the tendencies and reality of the human condition affect the effectiveness of economical models, for Mencken?
Essay Topic 3
In Chapters 5 and 6, Mencken discusses morality, and crime and punishment, respectively.
1) Discuss Mencken's belief about the origin of morality, and how it evolved. Can morality change, or is it static?
2) Discuss Mencken's thoughts about Christian morality in general.
3) Discuss Mencken's opinion of contemporary forms of punishment for committed crimes. What is the role of punishment?
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This section contains 1,005 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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