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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 Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," Foster uses the Latin expression in media res. What does this expression mean?
(a) In strict chronological order.
(b) In narrative form.
(c) In the form of a circle.
(d) In the middle of things.

2. In Chapter 3, "The Power of the Prologue," Foster mentions a "squib." What is a squib, in this context?
(a) A non-magical person born to wizards.
(b) The misfire of a gun due to insufficient force.
(c) A miniature explosive device.
(d) A short, satirical piece of writing.

3. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what does Foster say about the proliferation of online sources?
(a) They are often carefully sourced.
(b) They offer marginalized voices a chance to be heard.
(c) They make everything seem like nonsense.
(d) They democratize media.

4. In Chapter 1, "The Structure of Nonfiction Information," what does Foster say the first job of the writer is, on page one?
(a) To be clear and concise.
(b) To get the reader to page two.
(c) To create a personal bond with the reader.
(d) To tell the truth.

5. In Chapter 4, "The Parts You Don't Read," what advice does Foster give about the copyright page?
(a) When reading as a part of research, never leave this page without recording the information it contains.
(b) This information is just a legal notice and most readers should just ignore it.
(c) This page is optional and readers should not expect to find it in every book.
(d) This page contains important information about where the author got pieces of information used in the text.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," what does Foster say is true of the sports section?

2. In Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," what does Foster say is the difference between "hard news" and "soft news"?

3. According to "The Building Blocks of Arguments," what is the only form of nonfiction that is not argumentative?

4. In Chapter 8, "Bringing the News," Foster describes the Larry Nassar scandal as an illustration of what?

5. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," what does Foster cite as one of the main reasons that Americans have historically trusted the news media?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 4, "The Parts You Don't Read," Foster discusses tables of contents and indexes. What is similar about these two things and what is different?

2. In Chapter 3, "The Power of the Prologue," Foster explains the origin of the prologue. What is its origin and how is that origin reflected in today's prologues?

3. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what relationship does Foster point out between reportorial presence and time?

4. Explain why, in Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," Foster says that, even in narrative nonfiction, there is a difference between chronological order and structure.

5. Why, in Chapter 2, "The Ecology of the Nonfiction Biosphere," does Foster say that it is both good and bad news that all communication has a "grammar"?

6. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what does Foster say that "expertise" is and is not?

7. In Chapter 6, "Source Code," what two problems does Foster identify with the use of data as support?

8. In Chapter 7, "All in How You Look at Things," what does Foster compare to "wrestl[ing] an octopus," (81), and why does he make this comparison?

9. In Chapter 3, "The Power of the Prologue," what are the two main functions of the prologue that Foster discusses?

10. In Chapter 8, "Bringing the News," what does Foster seem to admire about the Lansing State Journal's coverage of the Nassar scandal?

(see the answer keys)

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