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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," what reason does Lou give for the priest disliking him?
(a) He has not been to church in twenty years.
(b) He no longer believes in God.
(c) He does not give enough money to the church.
(d) He uses language that the priest finds vulgar.

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

3. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," what is Amy's implied motivation for wanting to take a trip to Emerald Isle?
(a) She feels unsafe in New York during the protests.
(b) She misses her other siblings and wants to visit them.
(c) She is worried that they have not been to see Lou in several months.
(d) She wants to get away from the pandemic response in New York.

4. On page 194 of "A Better Place," what does Sedaris object to someone saying to describe Prince dying?
(a) "Found peace."
(b) "Transitioned."
(c) "Went home."
(d) "Slept."

5. In "Pussytoes," what item from Lou's house does Gretchen give Sedaris?
(a) A black address book.
(b) A refrigerator magnet.
(c) A photograph of their mother.
(d) A souvenir corncob pipe.

6. 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 be trying to boss God around.
(c) Lou would still be making fun of him.
(d) Lou would be in hell.

7. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," how does Sedaris characterize continuing media coverage of the Covid pandemic?
(a) It is needlessly alarmist.
(b) It fails to deliver important information.
(c) It causes divisions among Americans.
(d) It is unrealistically optimistic.

8. In "Pearls," what was the subject of the Ladies' Home Journal column that Sedaris liked?
(a) Astrology.
(b) Entertaining.
(c) Relationships.
(d) Travel.

9. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," why is wearing a mask at the protest a relief to Sedaris?
(a) He worries about being recognized by the media.
(b) People cannot see that he is not chanting along.
(c) He does not have to monitor his own facial expressions.
(d) He has grown paranoid about catching Covid.

10. In "Pussytoes," where is Sedaris when he gets the news about his father's death?
(a) In his and Hugh's home in New York.
(b) In a restaurant in Atlantic Beach.
(c) In the courtyard at Springmoor.
(d) In a hotel room in Reno, Nevada.

11. In the anecdote Sedaris tells about the woman with the facial injury in "Smile, Beautiful," what was the women bitten by?
(a) A giraffe.
(b) A dog.
(c) A seal.
(d) A mountain lion.

12. In "Pussytoes," which sibling ends up making the bulk of the arrangements after Lou's death?
(a) Gretchen.
(b) Paul.
(c) Amy.
(d) Lisa.

13. In "A Better Place," what specific rhetorical technique does Sedaris complain about?
(a) Understatement.
(b) Hyperbole.
(c) Oxymoron.
(d) Euphemism.

14. In "Lady Marmalade," what new role does Lou take on once all of his children have moved out?
(a) Photographer.
(b) Neighborhood watch.
(c) Landlord.
(d) Accountant.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. In "A Better Place," what does Sedaris envy about the group at the table across the room?

2. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," why does Sedaris spend months thinking about a show he did in Vancouver?

3. In "Lady Marmalade," what does Sedaris say about Lou's physical aggression towards him and his siblings?

4. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," what is the subject of the Delacroix painting that hangs over Lou's bed?

5. In "Pussytoes," what does Lou tell the president of Princeton University?

(see the answer keys)

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