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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Jocelyn Dunbar's motto is "A family is not a ___________."

2. What is Sedaris's favorite job at SantaLand?

3. In "Socrates and Company," Sedaris would travel the world with a _________.

4. Sedaris's father believes jobs ________.

5. Where does Lisa take the phone to have a private conversation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Jocelyn Dunbar's complaints about Khe Sahn?

2. What does the middle-aged Sedaris dream of doing?

3. What does Jocelyn report is going on with the Dunbar's daughter?

4. What happens when Sedaris goes to work at SantaLand on Christmas Eve?

5. What happens while the Sedaris family is eating dinner to celebrate Lisa's eighteenth birthday?

6. What is Jocelyn Dunbar's youngest son like?

7. What is the one bright spot in Jocelyn Dunbar's Christmas newsletter?

8. What does David think about while he washes dishes at the cafeteria?

9. Who is Khe Sahn in "Season's Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!!"?

10. What happens when Sedaris tries to help a particularly harried mother one day?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of misguided expectations and how it resonates throughout the book.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the difference between the flat and round characters in "Holidays on Ice." Were any characters truly fully developed? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of appearance versus reality as it is illustrated in various stories in the collection.

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This section contains 749 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample