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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. 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 seal.
(c) A mountain lion.
(d) A dog.

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

3. In "Lady Marmalade," what does Sedaris recall doing to Tiffany when he was about ten and she was about four years old?
(a) Threatening to choke her.
(b) Feeding her a worm.
(c) Hiding her stuffed rabbit.
(d) Poking her with pins.

4. In "The Vacuum," what does Sedaris say he has learned through experience never to do on the streets of New York?
(a) Flash money or jewelry.
(b) Stop and engage with people.
(c) Get distracted by his phone.
(d) Back down from an argument.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," why is wearing a mask at the protest a relief to Sedaris?

2. On page 194 of "A Better Place," what does Sedaris object to someone saying to describe Prince dying?

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

4. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," how does one of Sedaris's fans tell him her pet hamster died?

5. In "Pearls," what does Amy's acupuncturist tell her is the source of her trauma?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," what rhetorical purpose unites Sedaris's choice to talk about varying face mask usage, fireworks stores, and gun sightings?

2. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," what does a Jewish acquaintance point out to Sedaris about his proposed solutions for Confederate monuments?

3. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," why does Sedaris think that his father is losing his hearing?

4. In "Lady Marmalade," what conclusion does Sedaris draw about Lou's motivations for his behavior toward his children's bodies?

5. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," what does Sedaris start asking all of the teenagers at his readings, and what is his reaction to the responses he gets?

6. In "Pussytoes," what disagreement do the siblings have about the photo of Lou to use with his obituary?

7. What is the rhetorical function of opening "The Vacuum" with the description of the supermarket near Sedaris's apartment?

8. In "Pussytoes," what happens when Sedaris calls Gretchen about their father's death?

9. In "Pearls," what does Sedaris theorize are the two main causes of relationship failures?

10. In "Pussytoes," what is Sedaris's reaction to his father's "Little Black Book"?

(see the answer keys)

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