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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 was the best way to stall in tennis by Bombeck's standards?

2. Who was "I. Dontcare?"

3. In what event must Bombeck's family use the manual she wrote up in "Is There Life After Mine?"

4. What was better than backhand, according to Bombeck's tennis advice?

5. Who is Bombeck's focus in "At What Age Is a Child Capable of Dressing Himself"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What annoyances does Bombeck describe in "If You Thought the Wedding Was Bad?"

2. Describe Bombeck's tennis tips in "The Varicose Open."

3. What question did Bombeck discuss in "Mother Mystique" and what was her answer?

4. Describe some of the things that children must be aware of when staying home alone in "Primer for Imaginative Children."

5. With what issue did Bombeck struggle in "The Varicose Open" and why?

6. What did Bombeck point out about people's perceptions of Tom and Lorraine Suggs?

7. What were some of the basic tasks that Bombeck's family were unable to perform in "Is There Life After Mine?"

8. According to Bombeck, what was the result of the coffee boycott in 1942?

9. Discuss I. Dunno.

10. How did Bombeck achieve lower costs with her butcher?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the subtle subversions in Bombeck's writing. Points to consider include her subjects, the time in which she wrote these essays, and her handling of serious matters in a light-hearted manner. Also, analyze how these attitudes are reflected in her children as they grow up and how her messages were affected by her success and national syndication. Develop a clear thesis statement and cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Bombeck's stance on holding respect for others in the following format:

Part 1) Respect between parents and children.

Part 2) A Baby's Bill of Rights.

Part 3) The artificiality of the media.

Part 4) The woman on the airplane in "Are You Listening?"

Part 5) Her relationships with her children, husband, and mother.

Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

How did Bombeck's writing blend together different genres? Discuss this question by analyzing the different genres in which she delves for her writing. Be sure to use examples from essays spanning through several years of her career while being guided by a strong thesis statement.

(see the answer keys)

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