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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. The author describes hearing two men outside a conference room in Chapter 3, when one says to the other that "being around black people is like" what?

2. In Chapter 3, the author writes, "Someone in the audience asks the man promoting his new book on humor what makes something funny. His answer is what you expect." What is the answer he gives?

3. What does the girl behind the school girl ask her to do when they are taking exams in Chapter 1?

4. What does the "woman with multiple degrees" say she didn't know black women could get, in Chapter 3?

5. The author says in Chapter 4 that "truth be told, you could no more control those sighs than" what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What conclusion does the author reach in Chapter 4?

2. Who is Franz Fanon and why does the author cite him in Chapter 2?

3. What theme predominates Chapter 2 of Citizen: An American Lyric?

4. What symbolism can be seen in Chapter 4?

5. What symbolism can be seen in the imagery in Chapter 1?

6. How does the narrator feel about her experiences described in Chapter 1?

7. What is signified and alluded to by the picture of the Rutgers women's basketball team in Chapter 3?

8. What happens in the narrative at the Catholic school in Chapter 1?

9. How would you describe the narrative style of Chapter 1? What is significant about the narrative style?

10. What does the author suggest as a potential power in racist language in Chapter 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of the pain of prejudice in Citizen: An American Lyric. How does the author develop this theme through symbolism and imagery? How is it developed through the scenarios presented by the author?

Essay Topic 2

How does the author use sunglasses as a symbolic image in the book? What do the sunglasses represent? How are they a metaphor for prejudice and/or overlooking prejudice?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Don Imus and the controversy described in Chapter 3. Whom did Imus make racist slurs against? What were the repercussions of Imus's comments? How did Imus's comments influence racial tensions in the country?

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