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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. Fulghum tells a story about a man who faced a computer with his abacus. What was this man's occupation?

2. What did the soldiers and priests build in San Saba to accommodate them?

3. In Chapter 15, what game does Fulghum claim he likes better than hide-and-seek?

4. At the end of Chapter 8, Fulghum claims he is sure of something, what is that thing he is sure of?

5. What month of the year did the Indians that the soldiers were waiting for finally show up?

Short Essay Questions

1. How many places does Fulghum rank for their chicken fried steak, and who receives the most stars and why?

2. Why does Fulghum decide to tell the reader about his favorite place for chicken fried steak?

3. What happened after Fulghum's washer died on him in the middle of a load of laundry?

4. What does Fulghum claim a detergent for people would clean?

5. What things does Fulghum mention that an abacus is good for?

6. Describe Fulghum's experience of buying Tony Lama boots at Harry's Store in San Saba.

7. In Chapter 6, why did the soldiers and priests set out for a spot on the San Saba River?

8. Who is Charles Boyer? Why does Fulghum mention his story?

9. What were some of the reasons that Fulghum gives for visiting the town of San Saba?

10. What is the purpose of the larval form of the Cassida Rubignosa carrying a small sack of garbage on its back?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This book is a collection of some of Robert Fulghum's essays and stories as told from his perspective. How do you think Fulghum's perspective on some of these stories affected the way it was told or even affected the outcome of the story? How would some of the stories be different if they were told through another person's perspective? Explain your answers, and use evidence from the book to support those answers.

Essay Topic 2

At the beginning of Fulghum's book, he mentions that as he gets older his credo, or list, has gotten shorter. Why do you think Fulghum spent so much time, effort, and paper keeping track of all his thoughts and personal feelings when he was younger but now feels he does not have to do that anymore? Why do you think Fulghum chose the stories he did to be included in his book? Do you think all Fulghum's stories teach different lessons, or are there some stories that reemphasize what Fulghum has already concluded? Explain your reasoning, and use examples from the book to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 42 Fulghum talks about the zoo and how animals in the zoo "do what they do and are what they are" and don't ask questions. Which of Fulghum's stories relate to the human want and need to question? Which person or people have questions or "rattles the bars" of his or her cage? Why do you think it is human nature to question and wonder why? What kind of topics does Fulghum write about that would naturally bring up questions and wonderment? Explain your answers, and use specific examples from the book to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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