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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "A Speech to the Graduates," what does Sedaris say might prevent today's young people from enjoying a period of independence and exploration?
(a) Health care costs.
(b) Student debt.
(c) The job market.
(d) The housing crisis.

2. In "Highfalutin," how does Sedaris contrast Amy's perspective with his own?
(a) She is self-centered, while he is not.
(b) She is empathetic, while he is not.
(c) She lives in the moment, while he does not.
(d) She takes the long view, while he does not.

3. In "A Speech to the Graduates," what is Sedaris's purpose in mentioning Gretchen's program of study and Amy's work at Second City?
(a) They illustrate his point that the post-college years can be the best years of a person's life.
(b) They demonstrate that gifted artists generally succeed quickly.
(c) They are a warning about the instability of non-traditional career choices.
(d) They are examples of artistic career choices that contrast with safer career choices.

4. In "To Serbia with Love," what do the problems Sedaris lists with potential travel companions have in common?
(a) They involve sacrificing convenience for a cheaper price.
(b) They involve overscheduling time at the expense of real relaxation.
(c) They involve choosing active experiences with nature over cultural engagement.
(d) They involve choosing variety over depth of experience.

5. Who ends up cleaning most of Lou's blood up after the clock falls on him?
(a) Kathy.
(b) Lisa.
(c) Bob.
(d) Hugh.

6. In "A Speech to the Graduates," what is Sedaris's purpose in mentioning the speaker at his own graduation?
(a) He is introducing a theme he will expand on in his own remarks.
(b) He hopes to impress his audience with his own experiences.
(c) He means to contrast his own speech with that speaker's remarks.
(d) He intends to charm his audience with his humility.

7. In "Highfalutin," to what does Sedaris attribute Hugh agreeing to paint Amy's new apartment?
(a) Amy is the kind of person people just like to do things for.
(b) Hugh is trying to do something nice for Sedaris by helping his sister.
(c) Amy is secretly a very manipulative person.
(d) Hugh is trying to make up for recently yelling at Amy.

8. In "Highfalutin," who are Lex and Germalina?
(a) They are rabbits owned by Amy Sedaris.
(b) They are nicknames that Sedaris and his siblings gave their parents.
(c) They are characters in a play produced by the Talent Family.
(d) They are names Sedaris and his sister Amy used in a childhood game.

9. In "Father Time," what does Sedaris say he was primarily interested in when he was Austen's and Harrison's age?
(a) Nature.
(b) Reading.
(c) Puzzles.
(d) Sports.

10. In "Hurricane Season," what objection do Sedaris and his sister have to the name Hugh has chosen for the rental house?
(a) They do not really understand it.
(b) A nearby house has the same name.
(c) It is offensive.
(d) It is boring.

11. In "Highfalutin," what feature that he and Amy share embarrasses Sedaris at lunch?
(a) Thinning hair.
(b) Sagging skin.
(c) Poor posture.
(d) Dental problems.

12. 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) He keeps stopping to describe historical and cultural attractions.
(c) His English is too fractured to understand.
(d) He refuses to keep his eyes on the road when he is talking.

13. In "Unbuttoned," what item of Sedaris's does he find in his father's room at Springmoor?
(a) His childhood guitar.
(b) A photo album.
(c) His latest book of essays.
(d) A picture he painted in high school.

14. What does the Bushmaster ad that Sedaris sees explicitly associate guns with?
(a) Masculinity.
(b) Romance.
(c) Freedom.
(d) Safety.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Themes and Variations," which person that he encounters during his tour does Sedaris say might be the only one who really "sees" him?

2. Where were Sedaris's friends living when the man drove a vehicle into their home?

3. How is the term "highfalutin" introduced into the essay "Highfalutin"?

4. When Sedaris and his sister go to the gun range, what does he learn about for the first time?

5. Which word best captures Sedaris's depiction of Eastern European decor in "To Serbia with Love"?

(see the answer keys)

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