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This quiz consists of 5 multiple choice and 5 short answer questions through Section 4: Chapter 13,"On the Stump" through Chapter 15, "Reading Internet Sources".

Multiple Choice Questions

1. In Chapter 14, "The Universe of Ideas/Ideas of the Universe," what does Foster seem to admire most about Neil deGrasse Tyson's writing?
(a) That he is a witty and engaging writer.
(b) That he finds a way to communicate very abstract and unfamiliar ideas.
(c) That he is one of the few scientists who can write about many fields of science.
(d) That he confines he writing to easily understood concepts.

2. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," where does Foster say editorial content can usually be found in the newspaper?
(a) Throughout most sections.
(b) The last page or pages of the front section.
(c) In its own section.
(d) At the very end of the last section.

3. In Chapter 12, "Life from the Inside," Foster calls Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation "pointillist" (179). What quality is he saying this book has?
(a) A focus on the "big picture" at the expense of fine detail.
(b) A focus on detail at the expense of continuity.
(c) A focus on immediacy at the expense of long-term perspective.
(d) A focus on individual voices at the expense of institutional perspective.

4. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," what does Foster call the rules governing different forms of nonfiction?
(a) Laws.
(b) Syntax.
(c) Grammar.
(d) Precepts.

5. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," Foster calls an expression a "bromide." What is he saying about this expression?
(a) It is clever and concise.
(b) It is boring and mean-spirited.
(c) It is insightful but wordy.
(d) It is unoriginal and unimportant.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 15, "Reading Internet Sources," Foster cites Wikipedia as the source of his information about the development of the internet. What might we reasonably call his use of Wikipedia as a source?

2. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," what is the purpose of Foster's discussion of structure in Coming into the Country?

3. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what consequence does Foster say the rise of the internet has had?

4. In "Interrogating the Text," where does Foster say the "three questions" originate?

5. In Chapter 12, "Life from the Inside," why does Foster think Ambrose chose Merriwether Lewis's perspective for his history Undaunted Courage?

(see the answer key)

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