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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. What is one specific diet Gay mentions that her father gifts her to try?

2. Which Oscar-winning actress does Gay identify as appearing in Weight Watchers ads?

3. How long did Gay stay on the recumbent bike when she was trying to outlast the thin woman next to her?

4. Which part of Gay's body is stronger as a result of her difficulty with standard-size seating?

5. Which of the following best describes the physical appearance of Gay's family members?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Gay’s family reestablish contact with her after she moves to the west coast?

2. What type of eating disorder did Gay struggle with in addition to her compulsive overeating?

3. What is the difference between Gay’s two wardrobes?

4. What are some of Gay’s challenges with air travel?

5. Why does Gay say she still watches reality television weight-loss shows even though she hates them?

6. What problem does Gay have when she starts to lose weight and begins feeling better about herself?

7. Why does Gay eventually call her parents and go back home?

8. Why does Gay say she is envious of anorexic girls even though she knows they are also struggling terribly?

9. What does Gay like about getting tattoos?

10. As Gay is finishing her MA program in creative writing, what are most of the fictional stories she writes about?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Gay breaks her ankle, her family and loved ones rally around her. “I was broken and then I broke some more, and I am not yet healed but I have started believing I will be” (284). Why does Gay view this event as a possible turning point?

Essay Topic 2

There are many public places that produce anxiety for Gay, who explains “There are very few spaces where bodies like mine fit” (202). Write an essay giving specific examples from the text about some of these spaces and explain how Gay reacts to their challenges.

Essay Topic 3

Gay repeatedly refers to her body as “unruly.” Write an essay analyzing why she describes her body this way.

(see the answer keys)

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