View a FREE sample

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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Smile, Beautiful," what does a woman at a book signing tell Sedaris that brings him close to tears?
(a) He has inspired her to get her teeth fixed.
(b) He has a beautiful smile.
(c) His book changed her life.
(d) He reminds her that looks do not matter.

2. In "A Better Place," what does Sedaris suggest would be true about Lou, if there were, in fact, an afterlife?
(a) Lou would finally learn to play the guitar.
(b) Lou would still be making fun of him.
(c) Lou would be in hell.
(d) Lou would be trying to boss God around.

3. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," what does Sedaris find disappointing about his Zoom event?
(a) He is distracted by seeing video of himself talking.
(b) He misses the live audience feedback.
(c) He finds the technology alienating and unreliable.
(d) He develops a migraine from focusing on the screen.

4. In "The Vacuum," what does Sedaris's agent say will put sex workers out of business?
(a) Internet pornography.
(b) The pandemic.
(c) Sex robots.
(d) Climate change.

5. In "A Better Place," what objection does Sedaris make to people saying that his father did his best?
(a) Very few people actually do their best.
(b) His father was an abusive alcoholic.
(c) Results matter as much as intentions.
(d) His father was neglectful and uninterested.

6. In "Pussytoes," what does Lou tell the president of Princeton University?
(a) Amy is a better speaker than Sedaris.
(b) Gretchen is a better artist than Sedaris.
(c) He finds it hard to believe the graduates will know who Sedaris is.
(d) There is no way Sedaris could have gotten into Princeton.

7. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," when is Sedaris finally able to go back to touring?
(a) Fall of 2020.
(b) Spring of 2021.
(c) Spring of 2022.
(d) Fall of 2021.

8. What most bothers Sedaris about the phrases he discusses in "A Better Place" ?
(a) They are self-serving.
(b) They are empty of meaning.
(c) They are hypocritical.
(d) They are obvious lies.

9. In "Pearls," what does Sedaris tell the woman in Sussex about Hugh?
(a) He is a right-to-life advocate.
(b) He is blind.
(c) He is an astrologer.
(d) He is 20 years old.

10. In the beginning of "Fresh-Caught Haddock," where are Sedaris, Amy, and Hugh as they listen to the sounds of the protest?
(a) On the terrace of one of Hugh and Sedaris's apartments.
(b) In an upscale boutique on Fifth Avenue.
(c) In the kitchen of one of Amy's apartments.
(d) In a restaurant bordering Central Park.

11. In "Pearls," what does Amy's acupuncturist tell her is the source of her trauma?
(a) Her iridologist's remarks about her eye color.
(b) Seeing a mouse and a bug on the same day.
(c) Finding out that Gretchen named her cat "Amy."
(d) Her favorite snack cakes being discontinued.

12. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," what does Sedaris notice everywhere once he starts touring again?
(a) There are consumer goods shortages.
(b) Physical arguments over small issues have become common.
(c) There is a shortage of employees.
(d) People have essentially stopped wearing masks.

13. In "A Better Place," what is Sedaris implying when he comments about the long lives of Dick Cheney, Henry Kissinger, and Rupert Murdoch?
(a) They are bad people.
(b) They are wealthy.
(c) They have worked hard.
(d) They are very religious.

14. In "Smile, Beautiful," what example of prejudice related to the appearance of his teeth does Sedaris give?
(a) Other patrons sometimes move tables in restaurants so that they are not sitting where they can see him eating.
(b) Employees in upscale hotels and boutiques do not seem to think he is wealthy enough to be a patron.
(c) People often make unsolicited comments about his teeth when he is out walking in New York.
(d) Magazine photographers generally ask him to keep his mouth closed during publicity shoots.

15. In "Pussytoes," where do the siblings stay together on the night before Lou's funeral?
(a) Lou's old house.
(b) Paul's house in Raleigh.
(c) Sea Section.
(d) A hotel.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to "Lady Marmalade," what was unusual about the way Lou usually dressed at home?

2. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," what nickname does Sedaris say he has given Hugh?

3. In "The Vacuum," where is Sedaris when he sees the first signs that the new virus is starting to change things?

4. On page 228 of "Pussytoes," what does Gretchen complain she is not allowed to say at work anymore?

5. On page 151 of "The Vacuum," what phrase does Sedaris say he resents having survived the pandemic?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 746 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample