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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 writes in Chapter 1, "If this were a domestic tragedy, and it might well be, this would be your fatal flaw." What is the fatal flaw she describes?

2. The author writes in Chapter 4 that the "sigh is the pathway to" what?

3. In Chapter 1, the author begins with the statement, "When you are alone and too tired even to turn on any of your devices, you let yourself linger in" what?

4. What film does the author describe seeing with a friend in Chapter 1?

5. What does the world say about memory and the past, according to the author in Chapter 4?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why is the friend upset about hiring an African American in Chapter 1?

3. How does the author describe Serena Williams's career in 2012?

4. Who is Judith Butler and why does the author cite her in Chapter 3?

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

6. Who is Hennessy Youngman and what is discussed regarding him in Chapter 2?

7. How does the narrator respond when called by the wrong name by a woman at work in Chapter 3?

8. How does the author describe Serena Williams's performance in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open in Chapter 2?

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

10. What symbolism can be seen in Chapter 4?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the events surrounding the Jena Six case. What was the verdict for the Jena Six and why did it cause outrage? What crime was committed? What is the outcome for the Jena Six today?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of identity in Citizen: An American Lyric. How is identity formed? How are African American identities influenced differently than white identities? How does language relate to identity?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the scenarios presented by the author in Chapter 1. What are the different "characters" presented by the narrator? What do these characters experience? How do their experiences affect them?

(see the answer keys)

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