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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 the author's opinion of his mother's housekeeper's skills in "The Curly Kind"?
(a) He believes she is a lazy, incompetent housekeeper.
(b) He believes she spends too much time vacuuming.
(c) He believes she is the most skilled housekeeper he has ever seen.
(d) He is ambivalent towards her.

2. Why is the narrator of "After Malison" desperate to talk with Malison one-on-one?
(a) She believes she understands his work in a way others do not.
(b) She is in love with him.
(c) She is trying to keep him away from her friend Bethany.
(d) She wants him to read her new novel.

3. Who did the narrator of "Jamboree" believe would want to "cash in" on his sister's success?
(a) Their father
(b) His brother-in-law
(c) Their mother
(d) Their step-mother

4. What does the narrator change his elf name to when he has bad days at work in "Santaland Diaries"?
(a) Troll
(b) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle
(c) Grumpy
(d) Blisters

5. What job did Sedaris hope to get on "One Life to Live" in "Santaland Diaries"?
(a) Director
(b) Actor
(c) Makeup artist
(d) Writer

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is the narrator in "After Malison"?

2. Who was Lena Payne in "The Curly Kind"?

3. Why does Vicki drop out of high school in "Jamboree"?

4. Where is the camera located in Santa Land in "Santaland Diaries"?

5. According to Jocelyn Dunbar in "Season's Greetings...", who is the most intelligent of her children"

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the narrator do to Marty's motorcycle in "Jamboree"? Who does Marty believe is responsible for the damages?

2. Describe Marty Jr.'s appearance in "Jamboree".

3. How does Jocelyn feel about her daughter's marriage to Timothy Speaks in "Season's Greetings..."? How does this compare to her feelings about her grandson, Don?

4. What story does Sedaris tell the little boy Riley when he throws a temper tantrum in "Santaland Diaries"?

5. Describe the scene in Macy's on Christmas Eve in "Santaland Diaries".

6. Why is Jocelyn Dunbar suspected of murdering Don and framing Khe Sahn in "Season's Greetings..."?

7. How does the author feel about adults who dress in costumes for their jobs in "Santaland Diaries"? How does he believe he will be different if he is hired as one of Santa's elves?

8. How does the narrator of "Diary of A Smoker" feel about smoking?

9. What does the narrator of "Giantess" expect his fellow workers to do as they are waiting in the apartment of an extremely rich client? What do they actually do?

10. Describe Santa Santa in "Santaland Diaries".

(see the answer keys)

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