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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. According to the essay "How We All Love," what percent of the 535 seats in the 113th Congress do women represent?
(a) 18.3%.
(b) 15.4%.
(c) 22.4%.
(d) 20%.

2. In the essay To Scratch, Claw, or Grope Clumsily or Frantically, what does Gay say you cannot do at a Scrabble tournament?
(a) Yell.
(b) Cry.
(c) Pee.
(d) Cheat.

3. What does Gay bring to one of her first classes to intrigue the students in "Typical First Year Professor"?
(a) Pizza.
(b) Legos.
(c) Music.
(d) Chocolate.

4. In the essay "The Trouble with Prince Charming," what teenage book series does Gay mention is a modern day fairytale?
(a) The Twilight series.
(b) The Sweet Valley High series.
(c) The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo series.
(d) The Boxcar series.

5. In her essay "The Trouble with Prince Charming," who is the female protagonist who gets swept off her feet by the handsome Christian Grey?
(a) Kate.
(b) Jennifer.
(c) Kim.
(d) Anastasia (or Ana).

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Peculiar Benefits," what two things does Gay cite as being a pain?

2. In the essay "The Careless Language of Sexual Violence," what phrase refers to a culture where where it is acceptable for males to treat females violently?

3. As stated in the essay "What We Hunger For," what is one of the reasons that Gay reads?

4. In the essay "Some Jokes Are Funnier Than Others," what male comedian does Gay criticize for his behavior?

5. According to James Wood (a writer Gay references in the essay "Not Here to Make Friends"), characters should be reflections of what?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "To Scratch, Claw, or Grope Clumsily or Frantically," what disturbing news does Gay receive while at the tournament?

2. In the essay "The Illusion of Safety," what is the purpose of listing all the detailed visceral reactions at the beginning?

3. In the essay "Garish, Glorious Spectacles," Gay references the novel Play It as It Lays and introduces the female protagonist Maria. How does Maria relate her experience of motherhood?

4. IIn the essay "Beyond the Measure of Men," what does Gay say about female writers and the aspects of publishing over which they have control?

5. In the essay "Reaching for Catharsis," what is Gay's primary criticism of the book, Skinny?

6. In the essay "Beyond the Measure of Men," what happens when certain experiences are told through male narratives?

7. In the essay "What We Hunger For," why does Gay admire the Hunger Games character Katniss?

8. In the essay Peculiar Benefits, what does Gay say is most important to do when it comes to privilege?

9. In the essay "I Once Was Miss America," how does Gay react to Vanessa Williams being crowned Miss America?

10. According the essay "Reaching for Catharsis," what is a major benefit that a "fat" person has in terms of emotionally healing?

(see the answer keys)

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