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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. Why was a doctor's appointment no longer an excusable absence at work?

2. What would drive a mother crazy if the child were to meet that parent at the door with this?

3. To what question was "I. Dontcare" the response?

4. Why did Bombeck claim to be unable to store a second tennis ball like other women?

5. What was I.Dunno incapable of doing on time?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Bombeck claim about remembering children's names in "Haven't I Always Loved Whatshisname Best?"

2. Who is Lorraine Suggs?

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

4. What does Bombeck hypothesize about the reasons so many marriages fail?

5. Describe Bombeck's humor.

6. What were some of the snoring "cures" Bombeck considered for her husband?

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

8. What was Bombeck's reaction to her daughter's announcement about the bill in Congress in "Have a Good Day?"

9. What was the purpose of the article about the female architect and how did it make Bombeck feel as a result?

10. According to "Primer for Imaginative Children," what had become the typical office's stance on doctor's appointments and surgeries?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss how Bombeck's success as a columnist was directly tied to the time period in which she wrote. Analyze the criticism she faced for her gender and seeming lack of feminism. Develop a clear thesis statement in order to discuss these questions and cite specific examples from the text to help support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss aspects of Bombeck's writing techniques in the following format:

Part 1) Exaggeration.

Part 2) Subversion of cliches.

Part 3) Analogies.

Part 4) Nostalgia without the saccharine undertones.

Part 5) Honesty.

Compose a strong thesis and cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

Compose an essay on Bombeck's observations about the passage of time. Include her feelings on a quickly-moving society, the ephemeral natures of fads, and her beliefs about beauty coming with experience. Relate these ideas back to her outlook on recording her observations with candor and humor. Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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