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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. In Thompson's account of the airplane arrangements, how do several people view being forced onto the Dakota Queen II?

2. How does Thompson balance his frantic writing with the long periods of boredom in "November?"

3. On the louder of the two planes in "November Continued," what does Thompson say is present?

4. According to Thompson, who fails to capture the public's attention because the people perceive a discrepancy between his perception and his reality?

5. How do people who are uninterested in politics react to Thompson's writing?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Thompson describe the passengers of Dakota Queen II?

2. Describe Thompson's thoughts on the Yin/Yang in regards to Nixon and McGovern.

3. How does Thompson relate the politics of the campaign to the partying of the personnel?

4. How does Thompson describe the varying roles of and attitudes toward professional speech writers?

5. Why did Ron Ziegler become Nixon's PR man?

6. What does Thompson mean when he says American politics are based on "perception and reality?"

7. What are Thompson's feelings about Nixon's circle of people?

8. Why is Thompson the "rock-n-roll emissary" for politics?

9. In "November Concluded," what stories did Thompson tell about one of the female journalists?

10. In what ways is Thompson introducing new readers to the world of politics?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Hunter S. Thompson contribute to the downfall of Edmund Muskie? Why does Thompson particularly dislike this candidate? How is his reporting on the "rumor" of Muskie's addiction to Ibogaine indicative not only of gonzo journalism, but of other journalists' desire for any salacious or scandalous rumors to report on? How does this contribute to the ever-volatile relationship between politicians and journalists?

Essay Topic 2

By the time of the 1972 presidential election, how have politicians come to regard the youth vote and the African-American vote? How has the Vietnam War and the subsequent culture around it (for example, hippies, Woodstock, politically aware actors, and musicians) forced the politicians to start targeting the younger crowds for votes? How has this culture, alongside with the continuing struggling for civil rights, aided the African-American community in terms of the government focusing on their demographic?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Hunter S. Thompson's sense of being socially awkward around the other journalists in the following format:

Part 1) His employer.

Part 2) His drug use.

Part 3) His attire and roots.

Part 4) His attitudes about other politicians.

Part 5) His relationships with the other journalists.

Cite specific examples from the text to support your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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