View a FREE sample

This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Themes and Variations," what is the Jewish man selling in the joke Sedaris is told by one of his drivers?
(a) Nails.
(b) Cake.
(c) Shoes.
(d) Cattle.

2. In "To Serbia with Love," what irritates Sedaris about his driver in Lisbon?
(a) His lack of map reading skills gets them lost several times.
(b) His English is too fractured to understand.
(c) He refuses to keep his eyes on the road when he is talking.
(d) He keeps stopping to describe historical and cultural attractions.

3. How does Sedaris feel when Harrison tells him that he has never heard of Sedaris's books?
(a) Indignant.
(b) Amused.
(c) Hurt.
(d) Superior.

4. Where did Sedaris once unexpectedly find a gun?
(a) In a pantry.
(b) In a desk drawer.
(c) In a medicine cabinet.
(d) Under a bed.

5. In "Bruised," what does Sedaris criticize as lacking charm?
(a) The English language.
(b) Modern highways.
(c) Big cities.
(d) Hypermarkets.

6. In what state are Sedaris and his sister in "Active Shooter"?
(a) North Carolina.
(b) Connecticut.
(c) Florida.
(d) Virginia.

7. What does Lisa think she knows more about than other people?
(a) How to care for animals.
(b) How to drive a car.
(c) How to run a classroom.
(d) How to defend herself.

8. In "Themes and Variations," what singer does Sedaris tell a joke about?
(a) Waylon Jennings.
(b) Merle Haggard.
(c) Hank Williams.
(d) Willie Nelson.

9. In "Bruised," what concern does Sedaris raise with Hugh about Olivier's aggressive behavior?
(a) He is concerned that someone has put Olivier up to acting this way.
(b) He is concerned that Olivier may be mentally ill.
(c) He is concerned that Olivier may have been molested.
(d) He is concerned that Oliver's parents have rejected him.

10. In "Hurricane Season," what motivates Hugh to lock Gretchen and Sedaris out of the house?
(a) They imitate the pinching motions of crabs, implying that Hugh is being unreasonable.
(b) They agree with a renter about the dilapidated condition of some chairs.
(c) They tell him that they think the fish is overcooked.
(d) They tease Hugh about the name of the rental house.

11. In "A Speech to the Graduates," what does Sedaris mention having purchased at Sotheby's?
(a) A Ming-Dynasty vase.
(b) A first-edition copy of Tom Sawyer.
(c) A Piguet watch.
(d) A Picasso painting.

12. In "Hurricane Season," where does Sedaris get the idea for the name he wants to call the rental house?
(a) From a movie.
(b) At the grocery store.
(c) From one of his own essays.
(d) At the hardware store.

13. What do Harrison and Austen prefer to spend their time doing?
(a) Playing Nintendo Switch games.
(b) Watching TikTok and YouTube videos.
(c) Watching cartoons on television.
(d) Scrolling through social media.

14. In "Hurricane Season," how does Sedaris characterize the difference between his own anger and Hugh's?
(a) His anger is justified; Hugh's anger is arbitrary.
(b) His anger is fleeting; Hugh's anger is long-lasting.
(c) His anger is sarcastic; Hugh's anger is aggressive.
(d) His anger is personal; Hugh's anger is generalized.

15. What is ironic about Lisa turning out to be the better shooter?
(a) David Sederis actually has more experience shooting than does his sister Lisa.
(b) Their siblings placed bets on the outcome, and David was heavily favored.
(c) The instructor clearly believes that David will be the better shooter because he is male.
(d) David Sedaris is the one who wanted to go to the gun range, not Lisa.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Hurricane Season," what objection do Sedaris and his sister have to the name Hugh has chosen for the rental house?

2. What does the Blue Mountain School District give its students to fight off an armed gunman?

3. In "Highfalutin," who are Lex and Germalina?

4. In "Hurricane Season," what comment does Sedaris make about the names of hurricanes?

5. In "A Speech to the Graduates," what advice is Sedaris defending with his example of a grandmother who gives a grandchild a graduation gift?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 717 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample